Apocalypse Now
by Asmarath
Summary: During the old republic, a team of scientists discover an extinct civilization on an unknown world far out in the outer rim. By accident, the scientists unleash the greatest predator the galaxy has ever seen. Beware, because Alex Mercer is hungry.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

This is a crossover between the game Prototype and Knights of the Old Republic. I haven't seen a crossover between these two before and thought I'd give it a shot.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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On board a Sith Herald-class shuttle.

Doctor Kurt Vul stared at the large holoscreen with excitement. Their current destination was in a previously unexplored part of the Outer Rim, a full month ago a team consisting of both explorers and scientists had been sent out in order to expand the Sith Empire by adding more Star Systems under its control. On one such planet, the team had found data concerning an unknown hyperspace route. The team had been tasked to investigate, and they had found something, that is why he was on his way there.

The data on the holoscreen flickered for a moment, but Kurt's eyes where fixed on it, apparently the team had found evidence of an extinct civilization on the planet. The most interesting discovery was a crystal which had certain interesting characteristics. And of course, as one of the Empire's greatest scientists he had to see this for himself. This could be the find of a lifetime, and there was no way he would let anyone else take charge of this operation.

Kurt was interrupted from his thoughts by the ships comsystem. "Attention all crew members, we will arrive at our destination in less than thirty minutes."

_Good_, he thought, _sooner the better._

Kurt was lost in thought, which is why he was surprised when the same voice announced that they had reached their destination. He walked over to the transparisteel window and observed the planet, judging by its red color; he assumed it was a desert world similar to Tatooine. Kurt checked that his blaster pistol securely hang from his right hip before he made his way to the elevator. The elevator descended to the first floor and Kurt made his way all to the back to the cargo hold, his research team was already waiting for him there.

Besides himself, the team consisted of two humans in their mid forties, which both nodded to him as he approached. The trio had been working together for over ten years now, but they had all worked for the Sith a lot longer. Of course, none of them was important enough to have met the higher-ups; instead Kurt always dealt with different lieutenants when he made his reports.

The pilot's voice came over the com system. "We have entered the planet's atmosphere and have begun docking procedures. Stand-by"

Kurt and his team made their way through the cargo hold, which now was almost empty, but could support about 70 tons of cargo. The _Herald_ was one of the mass produced models in the Sith Empire and anyone traveling through Sith space would definitely come across one. The ship rumbled as it touched down on the ground, not soon afterwards the cargo hold doors opened revealing nothing more than rock and sand. Finally outside, Kurt saw several other ships to his side and the research camp.

From the camp, a man wearing scientist garbs with graying-black hair walked towards them. He had an annoyed look on his face, and the small clinching of his eyes alerted Kurt to the fact that the man didn't want them here.

"Welcome Doctor Vul. I'm Dr John Lycan, the scientist in charge of the operation."

Krul gave the man an emotionless stare. "Not anymore, I now have that authority."

"Right, now please follow me." The man gestured towards the camp. "We'll be heading to the main research building; most of our findings are there." Without waiting for a response, John began walking back the same way he came with Krul and his team shortly behind.

Finally inside the building, John led them into one of the research rooms. Now there, Krul decided to take charge.

"Now tell me, what have you found so far?"

John raised a brow. "Didn't you get data already?"

"I did, but I'm sure you've discovered more since your last update."

"We've discovered several sets of bones in the nearby cave system, and from our initial tests we can confirm that they are human." He took a deep breath. "Our architectural finds suggests that this civilization didn't have advanced technology and most likely never acquired space travel."

"And what of the planet itself, how did they survive with nothing more than rock and sand?" One of Kurt's team members asked.

John smiled. "That is our biggest discovery so far. This planet is full of radioactive metal, lying deep down in the planet core. The interesting part is it's not a natural phenomenon."

Kurt stroked his chin. "You mean the people of this planet caused these themselves?"

"Yes, we've discovered that the radiation is stronger at certain points on the planet. And at every such point we've found different types of architecture. Which brought us to the conclusion that they must have destroyed themselves in nuclear war."

Kurt nodded. "Yes, all this was in your report. What about the crystal?"

"Let me show you." They walked inside another room with a large display of several rocks.

John continued. "It's actually a fusion of crystal and metal, our initial tests show that it has a strong resistance to laser weapons. If we can harness it, we could strengthen the hull of any starship."

The conversation was interrupted by the buildings com system buzzing. "Doctor Lycan, Team Alpha has reported in. You're needed in the med lab."

The doctor's eyes widened and he rushed out of the room, pausing only slightly to tell them to follow. Less than a minute later they arrived in the med lab where John began talking with the research team.

"What's happened?"

A broad shouldered man answered with excitement. "Doctor, we continued our excavations of the caves as ordered and came upon something unusual." He took a deep breath. "There's something in the crystal."

Lycan's eyes widened. "What do you mean something? You had scanning equipment with you, yes?"

"Yes sir, but I think the radiation is affecting the equipment somehow because according to the machine, there's a pocket full of biomass hiding behind the crystal."

Kurt pointed towards the broad shouldered man. "Take me there, and want to see this for myself."

Kurt estimated it took about fifteen minutes to get to the cave; the cave itself was like any other cave. There was nothing remarkable about it at all except for the large veins of pink crystals on the walls. They continued further down and entered a dim lit chamber. As he entered, Kurt observed various drilling equipment lying around on the ground.

The broad shouldered man walked through the chamber to the far wall and pointed to the wall in front of him. "Here it is."

The wall where he pointed had a particularly large vein and Kurt could easily see with his own eyes that a large dark lump lay behind the crystal.

Kurt grinned. "Amazing, absolutely amazing."

John walked over and picked up the scanner. "This one must be broken, there's no way that glob could be biomass." He scanned the wall again. "Even if the crystal somehow preserved whatever is inside, it should have dissolved a long time ago."

Kurt nodded. "I want samples right away."

The broad shouldered man answered. "I'll get right on it sir."

As the Kurt and John left he picked up one of the nearby hydraulic jacks and powered it on and began his work.

His arms ached as the hydraulic jack pounded on the wall; he had been hammering away for nearly one standard hour. As he stopped, the clouds of atomized dust began to dissipate, no longer obscuring his vision. At a closer inspection, he noticed how close he had come to the unknown matter. He took several steps back and put down the hydraulic jack, as if this action caused it, the entire cave began to rumble. Only his sharp reflexes saved him from being crushed by a large falling rock, with no other choice he clanged to the wall. The quake continued with several smaller shakes before it disappeared altogether.

Sighing in relief, he took a step forward, still uncertain if he could make it back to the surface if another quake hit. A cracking noise made him turn around; the cave wall began to crack and a black matter slowly oozed through. Chocked he moved closer, the material did not behave as liquid should. Instead of dripping down to the ground, it stopped midway and formed into a small clump. The man reached forward and gently touched the forming liquid with his fingertips; it felt sticky to his fingers. _I have to report this immediately_, he thought.

His sharp reflexes did not help him as the small clump on the wall expanded and covered his entire hand, small black tendrils formed and continued up his arm. He fell to the ground holding his arm and screamed out in pain, it felt as if his arm was being torn apart. As he struggled to get free, the entire clump pushed through the cracks.

And then he knew only darkness.

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AU

Please let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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_I'm dead_.

It was the first thought that entered his mind. The dark cave walls greeted him as he opened his eyes, clearly he wasn't dead. The last thing he remembered was using the hydraulic jack and then… In one swift move he stood up, frantically checking his surroundings and inspecting his arm. That black substance was nowhere in sight and he seemed alright. _Was it just a dream?_

No, he knew it had happened. This vivid memory he had couldn't have been a dream. _But where is that thing?_ He didn't know, at least he seemed fine. Physically he didn't feel any pain or discomfort which was strange since he had worked in the mine. His work always left him exhausted afterwards. But there was a fog clouding his mind, and making it hard for him to think without concentrating.

"I'm Mark, and I work as a miner." He said to himself. "Well, at least I don't have any brain damage."

Mark knew he hadn't been unconscious for long, regulations stated no one was allowed to work alone for more than a couple of hours. Everyone else was almost certainly up in the station, and he began to move through the mine. Dodging large rocks as he moved through the narrow passageways, eventually he reached the mine entrance.

A couple of guards greeted him outside the entrance, but he paid them no mind. Mark probably should have alerted Dr. Lycan and Dr. Kurt about these events, but the only thought on his mind was to find a bed and sleep. Moving on autopilot, Mark soon found himself inside his own quarters and dropped down on the bed.

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_The security door slid open with a hiss. A large figure in military green stepped into the laboratory, where a single scientist stood over an examination table. On the table, something was still alive. As the large figure approached, the scientist did not turn around. Only two other people in the entire world had access to his hidden compound, and he knew who had come to see him._

"_Welcome, Colonel Weer." The scientist said._

_The figure covered in green took a step closer. His face betraying no emotions, he was the right hand-man of General Peter Randall. _

"_Have you completed your research?"_

_The scientist turned with a sharp, hooked instrument in his hands. The man on the table behind him shuddered, and then grew still._

"_Not by a long shot. The first stage of my experiment is under way, it should be finished soon."_

"_What have you learned so far?" Weer asked._

"_As you know, this is the second subject we've found." The scientist scratched his chin. "He like the one before is infected by the Blacklight virus."_

"_He's one of the evolved, I know."_

"_Yes but you're only half right." The scientist replied. "The subject possesses many of the same characteristics as the evolved, but this subject doesn't have access to its abilities."_

"_Why not?"_

"_From what I've been able to gather, Mercer didn't infect him with the intension of creating a loyal soldier." The scientist took a deep breath. "My experiment shows that the virus is trying to change itself."_

"_And what does that mean exactly?" Weer asked._

"_We know the virus enters, re-purposes and changes the cell, and then replicating previously dormant non-coding segments of DNA." The scientist swallowed hard. "This virus however, seems to be programmed to change the dormant segments into something else. Basically, it's trying to give itself new abilities through trial and error."_

_The scientist put the instrument down on the table. "My guess is that Mercer will probably try to absorb them once the virus has gotten the desired effect."_

_Weer stood silent for a moment. "Do you have anything about your findings on record?"_

"_Pah!" The scientist replied. "You know it's too dangerous, no, everything is safe inside my mind."_

_Weer smiled. "Good, then __**you**__ have just one problem."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Because I'm Mercer." Weer's old and rugged face convulsed, and a slightly larger hooded façade shimmered into place. Without a moment's hesitation, claws crawled from his right arm and he slammed into the scientist._

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He sat up with a start; his vision blurred, like waking up from a bad night's sleep. Only it had not been one night, more like several hundred thousand nights. Memories of a hundred people flooded his mind. All of them familiar except for one, this 'Mark' was a new experience, a miner without any accomplishments to be of value. And yet, his memories were more special than any of the others. Alex shifted through Mark's memories, sorting out and destroying the useless ones and keeping the rest. Apparently the world hadn't ended as he thought, instead life had continued, not on earth but in other places. In fact, there was an entire galaxy full of different life forms.

Alex shifted to his right, putting his feet on the floor. Apparently there were a war going on between two factions, obviously nothing had changed. War still continues, now on a bigger scale than he was used to. What caught his interest was the terms 'Sith' and 'Jedi', warriors using some kind of mystical power which allowed them to perform extraordinary feats. If he wasn't a bioengineered virus capable of ripping a person in two, he would have written it off as characters from a fairytale. But this guy Mark seemed to believe they existed, the company he worked for was employed by one of them after all. Alex was broken out of his thoughts by several loud bangs, someone was at the door. On instinct Alex activated his thermal vision, only his line of sight was not enhanced nor could he see any heat signatures.

"Seems I'm not strong enough, yet." Alex said to himself.

The banging continued faster than before, they were getting impatient. Alex made sure he was still 'Mark' and went over to the control console by the door. The comm. system in his quarter's had not been fixed yet, even thou they broke down several days ago. Apparently fixing a lowly paid miner's comm. system was not high on their list of things needed to be done.

The door opened with a low hiss, revealing two armed guards. The one to the left Alex recognized as 'Jackass one' and 'Jackass two' was on the right, Mark did not have any love for these two. There had not been any real hostility between them but they tried to stay out of each other's way. Alex did know their names, but decided jackass was more fun.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jackass one shouted. "Dr. Vul and Dr. Lycan are furious with you."

"What? Why?" Alex asked.

"Come with us." Jackass two grabbed him by the arm and forced him out of the room and in to the corridor. As he was escorted through the facility, Alex thought about how to proceed. He was a bit 'hungry' after all, but decided it wouldn't hurt to let things play out first. From their current direction of travel, he knew they were probably going to Dr. Lycan's office. Or rather Dr. Vul's office as it was now. They passed three more corridors with grayish durasteel walls and the occasional transparisteel viewport before arriving at their destination. As he was shoved through the door, Alex thought about the many different names he now knew. _Durasteel and transparisteel, how many different types of steel do you need?_

The office was nicely decorated with several large statues of various species at the sides; across the room was a large desk with Dr. Vul sitting behind it. The desk itself seemed to be made out of wood, a cherry desk if he had to guess, but that seemed unlikely. The desk seemed superfluous since there's little to no paperwork to be seen; only a small datapad was visible. The entire office was dim-lit and his escorts took a position by the entrance, resting their hands on their holsters. They were trying to create a sense of danger; Alex could barely hold back a laugh.

"So Mark, what do you have to say for yourself?" Dr. Vul asked.

"I.. I don't know. Have I done something wrong?" Alex answered.

"You know damn well something's wrong." Dr. Vul leaned slightly forward. "You were supposed to work in the mine and then contact us when you're done."

A moment of silence passed before he continued. "Instead I find you sleeping in your room, the mine almost caved in, and a lot expensive equipment destroyed." He took a deep breath. "And worst of all, my discovery is gone! There's no trace of it."

_Your discovery?_ "I don't know what to say" Alex said. "I was in the mine, working, and then everything went black. Feeling like I had a concussion when I woke up, so I must have gone to my room before crashing on the bed."

"So you don' know what happened to it, at all, is that what you're saying?"

"Yes."

"Don't try to bullshit a bullshiter boy; do you think I came into this position from being nice and trusting?" Dr. Vul leaned forward again, now resting his arms on the desk supporting his chin. "You will tell me what you did with it or my boys here will make you talk."

Alex glanced back, the two guards now stood directly behind him grinning menacingly; they apparently had waited for an opportunity like this.

Alex sighed. "Fuck it; I'm done with this charade."

"What?" Dr. Vul frowned.

The blade crawled from his right arm and he slammed into the two unsuspecting guards by twisting his body around, four thuds entered his auditory senses as he came to a full stop. It had been so long since he enjoyed this feeling, and seeing the doctor in front of him falling of his chair with widespread fear across his face, only helped sweeten the feeling.

"Wha…What are you?" Dr. Vul asked as he crawled backwards, coming to a stop when his back hit the wall.

"I'm what your friend Dr. Lycan so cleverly called, 'That lump of biomass.'" Alex said grinning, before shifting his appearance. Letting his usual three-layered clothing appear, the button-up white shirt, the plain grey hoodie and the black leather jacket with red tribal design. He always felt at best when he had Mercer's appearance, his first and favorite personality.

Alex took quickly dodged the desk and now parked himself in front of Dr. Vul.

"Please don't kill me, I can help you!" He swallowed hard. "I know many things, and… and you won't be able to leave this facility without me."

Alex grinned. "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll be very helpful."

Dr. Vul nodded and formed a pained smile, before being stabbed by three claws through the stomach. Vul's expression was the same as everyone else's when Alex absorbed him, that of pain, hate, despair and a bit of confusion. Alex closed his eyes, feeling the rush of new memories enter his mind had been a bit strange in the beginning, but that was a long time ago.

He slowly opened his eyes. "Yes, you've been most helpful."

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Au

General Weer does not exist in the Prototype Universe so don't bother looking him up. And I haven't played Prototype 2, so I will pretend it never took place. Also this story will follow the Kotor storyline to some degree, I haven't decided on how much yet. And another thing, do I need a beta reader?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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So far it had been a good day.

Woke up, discovered a new galaxy, and got to eat. Right now, Alex didn't have much to complain about as he sat in front of the large desk fiddling with the Dr. Vul's datapad. All information the expedition had discovered so far was contained inside the small electronic device. It only took a few minutes to go through and it didn't contain anything about him yet. Most of the information was about the planet itself and the cave system, with various side notes of the scientists.

First thought was to destroy it, but saner heads prevailed. He figured a datapad could be useful someday, for something, so Alex deleted all data on the device and kept it. Alex leaned back into the chair; he had a decision to make. Dr. Vul told him leaving the planet was impossible without him, and true enough the doctor had locked down every navi-computer with his own voice print. That problem had solved itself; the question now was whether to leave as soon as possible, or to make sure there were no witnesses. Indeed, a tough moral choice.

"What to do, what to do." Alex mused. "Well, better safe than sorry."

The hunt was exhilarating; the first few guards and Dr. Kurt didn't even know what hit them as he sliced through them with his blades. It took less than five minutes to clear out the small facility, currently he was moving towards the exit on the opposite side of the building. Dull grey walls, like cobwebs, slipped past him on both sides as he moved at an impressive speed through the narrow corridors. Heightened vision and reflexes negated the tunnel effect, allowing him to be aware of his surroundings. Alex stopped short of the open entrance doors and crouched down beside them. Using his enhanced hearing, he noticed two teams consisting of three members each close by.

The guards were on alert; Alex couldn't hear their heart beats. His hearing wasn't that enhanced, but he could hear their breaths. And it was ragged; apparently they knew something was amiss. Alex shot down the idea of using one of his 'Meat Suites' for this situation, and decided a full frontal assault sounded fun. He stood up and went through the open blast doors, accelerating into full speed towards the nearest guard. The guard noticed him to late, but managed the fire of two blasts of red energy before being cut down by Alex's blade.

_Damn, that actually stung a little._ He thought as the two scorch marks on his chest healed within seconds. Alex let out a small grunt as he was hit by two more blaster bolts in the back, forming a shield from his right arm he charged towards the nearest enemy blocking several bolts before cutting him down. The remaining four guards had gathered in the same place and showered him with blaster fire. Alex moved slowly towards them, hiding behind his shield while changing the properties of his left arm. Instead of a hard, sharp blade, he changed his biomass to make it more thin and flexible. When he was close enough, Alex released his whipfist in a horizontal slash. The whip cut through three of the heavily armored guards and destroyed the weapon of the fourth before returning.

Alex released his transformations and walked slowly towards the now unarmed guard. It was bitter-sweet every time they gave him that terrified look as they realized he was superior in every way.

"What are you?" The guard asked, showing remarkable courage given the situation.

"I am many things, little underpaid guard." Alex now stood directly in front of the guard. "You couldn't even begin to fathom half of them. But for now I shall take the role of executioner."

He ended the guard's life with one swift stroke, letting his tendrils work their magic. Absorbing new biomass was always a bit exhilarating, but the feeling dissipated as soon as the process was over. Now Alex was alone in the compound, scratch that, more like alone on the whole planet. He felt a little more than disturbed by the fact, he had always been a loner with no real need for social interactions, save for his sister. But to be completely alone on the planet for a long time would definitely destroy what little sanity he still has left. On the other hand, exploring the galaxy would put him on the radar of the galaxy's major players eventually, it was inevitable. But it was better than the alternative of spending an eternity alone.

With that in mind he began searching and inspecting the vessel's docked on the landing pads, evaluating which would suit him the best. The collected memories helped him in that regard, he could take one of the empty cargo vessels. It would allow him to travel without much suspicion, but these ships had little to no firepower. And firepower was something he liked, so that was out of the question.

This is why he found the Herald-class shuttle to be the best alternative, which had belonged to Dr. Vul before his untimely demise. The vessel was a modified light freighter, 28 meters long and usually armed with two turbolasers. This one however had four of them and retrofitted to be crewed be a single person instead of two. It was also one of the few vessels on the planet with a hyperdrive, drawing on his memories; Alex knew this ship was the one carrying Dr. Vul to the planet. And that it was his own personal ship given to him for his service to the Sith Empire. The vessel had room for 5 passengers not including the captain and had a moderate cargo capacity of 70 tons.

Alex entered the ship and took the small elevator up to the cockpit and sat down in the seat to the left. It took less than a second to manipulate his biomass into Dr. Vul.

"Activate the navi-computer. Voice print: 157623."

The screen directly in front of him flashed several times and a robotic voice answered.

"Voice print acknowledged."

Alex decided not to change the voice imprint to his own; a dead man's voice was a good way to protect the ship after all. He mused were to go from here as he transformed back in to his old self, he punched several buttons on the computer and the open walkway closed. Few seconds later the vessel lifted from the ground and soured upwards, leaving several small sandstorms on the ground from the pressure. It was exciting being in space for the first time and seeing his old home becoming smaller and smaller. Alex considered himself to be many things, but being a space traveler was not one of them. It would take some time getting used to before he felt fully comfortable.

With two more buttons pressed, the stars become white lines as the ship entered hyperspace.

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He felt as a child on Christmas as he walked down the main street of the city Kessia on the planet Thule in the Esstran sector. Seeing new species walk about as if they belong there in your memories was one thing, and completely different when you see it for yourself for the first time. So far Alex had seen Arkanians, they could pass for human but had silver hair and pure white eyes along with four clawed digits on each hand. Then there were the Ubese, near-humans who had fair skin and dark hair with brilliant green or blue eyes. And last there were the Chiss, it was a shock to see what could pass for a human, only it had dark blue skin and blood-red eyes. The ones he had seen so far carried themselves as if the owned the place, and perhaps they did, but Alex never had much patience for the arrogant.

To know the names of these species he had to use every investigative skill he had, he asked a street kid. Said kid had the stomach to demand food in return for his help, which is why Alex was walking down the main street of the city to a particular restaurant. The kid had been very clear he only wanted one specific type of dish in exchange; something called Ahrisa which consisted of various greens and high quality meat. The pair exited the main street and walked down several side streets before arriving at their destination, a fairly well-looking cantina.

Alex entered, immediately stepping towards the bar on the opposite side. The bartender was a tall Ubese, about the same height as Alex, the man watched him without interest as he approached.

"I want an Ahrisa." Alex said to him.

"That will be 50 credits." He answered, his voice absurdly high and rasp.

Alex leaned forward and motioned for the bartender to do the same.

In a sweet voice he said. "Please give me an Ahrisa, or I'll rip your heart out. Okay?"

The Ubese's sensitive ears began to quiver. "It will take a few minutes."

Pleased with the exchange Alex waited at the bar as the bartender went out back, muttering something about not getting enough pay for this shit. It was a useful tactic; he had yet to meet the lowly paid service employee who was willing to risk their life for a lousy meal or drink. Alex didn't see it as extortion, the strong take from the weak, survival of the fittest and all that. In his mind, the weak had to blame themselves for their situation. On the other hand he was also glad he didn't have to kill the Ubese, not out of any moral sense, or even out of pity for the creature, his relief was purely from having avoided the inevitable difficulties brought on by killing someone in public. And he had promised the kid a meal, and he never went back on his word.

Few minutes later the bartender came out with the dish in a box, telling him to never come back, and he wasn't planning to. The kid was still waiting outside the cantina when he came out, Alex watched as the kid devoured the meal in a minute flat. He was actually quite impressed, nowhere near his record but still impressive. The moment broke by a loud bang and the screams of several different voices. Alex turned around and watched a large dark cloud rise behind some buildings.

"What the hell was that?" He said to himself.

"It's probably the Kura Gang again." The kid answered. "They are one of the city's most notorious gang."

"So they are strong?"

The kid nodded. "There's a bounty out on them, several bounty hunters have tried to catch them but everyone has failed."

Alex looked down. "How do you know all this?"

"Everyone in the city knows that, they've been harassing the city for a long time now."

Alex nodded; perhaps he should have a talk with this Kura gang. He does after all enjoy a good hunt, and from the looks of things, this gang sounds to be an adequate target.

"God I've missed this."

The kid looked questioning at him.

"Hunting that is." Alex said with a smile. "See you later kid."

With that Alex began moving towards the smoke to inspect the area. As he left a man clad in dark battle armor with dark-grey hair stepped out of the cantina and punched several buttons on his wrist console while observing Alex moving away.

Looking at the kid he asked. "Hey kid, who's that man you just talked to?"

When the kid didn't say anything, the man reached into his left pocket and revealed a credit chip containing 20 credits.

"Just some guy who's going after the Kura gang, he's crazy going after them."

Satisfied with the answer, he gave the kid the credits and motioned for him to disappear before trailing the same way.

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A blown out building was the first thing that entered his vision as Alex arrived at the scene, few bodies lay scattered near the building unmoving. From the looks of things it wasn't a public building, so Alex deduced they had probably targeted a rich civilian. The cops in him wanted to seal off the area and start to question the witnesses, sadly that was out of the question. But that didn't mean he couldn't start an investigation of his own. Moving past the courtyard, Alex slipped in through the blown out entrance and up the stairs trying to find some clue before the authorities arrive. On the second floor he found a cracked open door, the apartment was in total disarray. The apartment with all accessories must have cost a small fortune judging from all the high-tech stuff lying about.

There were no bodies in the apartment and no visible blood as far as he could tell. Searching through the bedroom he found a safe in the closet, untouched. Whatever they were after was not credits or riches. _A kidnapping?_ Most signs pointed towards that theory. Sirens entered his auditory senses and they were getting louder. In a hurry he went down the stairs and out through the back door, formulating a plan of action as he moved away from the area.

Going around the corner he came face to face with a human clad in battle armor, armed to the teeth and who looked ready to blow him to bits. He didn't have his weapon raised; Alex recognized it as a heavy repeater.

"And you are?" Alex asked.

"Never mind that. What interest do you have with the kidnapping of Mr. Monraux?"

_So his name is Monraux._ "What's it to you?"

"Curiosity. Not many people would go in to a building that's just been blown up; you didn't even bat an eyelash at the massacre outside." The man raised his weapon slightly. "Why would you do that?"

Alex shrugged. "Got business with the kidnappers, this Monraux is of no consequence to me."

The man studied him for a moment before dropping his weapon. "It seems you're like me, a bounty hunter ready to take on any challenge."

_Bounty hunter sounds like fun._ "I might be."

"Good, then I have a proposition. I usually work alone, but I'm willing to make an exception this time."

Alex smirked. "And why would I want to work with you?"

"Because I'll let my baby here rip you to shreds otherwise." The man now had his silver repeater aimed directly at him. "Can't have the competition running around unchecked now can I."

Alex laughed, _I like this guy._ "Fine then, let's do this together."

Moving closer, Alex asked. "How did you know it was a kidnapping? I left just as the authorities arrived."

The man tapped his arm console. "Hacked the Holocamera in the apartment. For being rich the man didn't have any good security measures. Probably why he was targeted."

Alex nodded and the pair walked off in the same direction Alex first traveled.

"By the way, I'm Ordo. Canderous Ordo." The man introduced himself without looking.

"Mercer."

"Just Mercer huh, anyway we should regroup before going after them. I have a place." Glancing slightly back at Alex he continued. "Looks like you need some gear."

"I have everything I need." Alex observed the man from behind in silence as they ventured forward. This Canderous was the most interesting being he's met so far, but he doubted the man would threaten him if he knew exactly who he was dealing with. In any case, this man might prove to be useful on this mission. And perhaps he would be useful enough that he didn't have to kill him when all of this was over.

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Canderous had a place alright; in fact it was a penthouse in the outskirts of the posh area of the city. An opulent, richly carpeted series of room which housed a large collection of antique furniture, framed artworks and prized statues. The place was in one word, perfect. And it made Alex suspicious.

"This isn't your place is it?" Alex inquired.

Canderous grunted. "Why's that?"

"Well first, you carry yourself like a military man. You were probably a high-ranking one, perhaps a commander. But now you're a bounty hunter."

Alex pointed towards Canderous's armor. "Judging from your worn down armor I'd say you haven't been in the game long. Definitely not long enough to earn enough credits to have a place like this."

"So in all likelihood." Alex smiled triumphantly. "You picked this place on random and broke in."

"Damn I'm impressed; you're sharper than you look." Canderous went over to the transparisteel window on the right. "But I didn't pick this place on random."

Pointing out the window and to the right, his finger eventually stopped at a factory. Alex saw nothing special about it; it looked a bit rundown like most of the factories in that area.

"That place is one of their hideouts."

"How do you know?" Alex inquired.

"I've observed them a lot longer than you; you need to know your enemy so you know where to hurt them the most."

Alex nodded. "True." _Unless you're an unstoppable bioengineered virus that is._

"Well then Mr. Observer, let's check it out." Alex only received a grunt in response.

It took the pair fifteen minutes to get close to the factory; Canderous had taken the lead in showing the way. His observing had been useful in keeping them unnoticed, not the way Alex would have done it but he couldn't argue with the result. In fact he had told his partner in crime that they should just storm the place, and had received a snarky 'Only fools charge ahead without knowing what lies in wait'. That had pretty much ended the conversation; Alex decided to let the man pay for his insolence later.

"Let's do it." Canderous said. Not bothering to wait for a reply, he broke from his cover and sprinted towards the side of the building. Alex wasted no time in following and caught up, both crouched low to the ground and ran along the wall, heading to the gate. As they approached, Canderous signaled that a single droid was posted as a guard. It was conical in shape, a little more than a meter tall, and half a meter wide. It hovered a meter off the ground and had three long legs dangling below it. Alex had seen one before, or rather the miner Mark had, and they were quite common as patrol drones on dig sites.

The patrol drone's sensors were focused on the gate, not on Canderous as he was bearing down on it from behind. Once he was closed to ten meters, he pulled out his blaster and fired off two quick blasts. Both hit the droid's control circuits, sending up a shower of sparks before it crashed down on the ground. With the sentry dispatched, Alex joined him at the gate, impressed with the display of marksmanship. Alex stood guard as Canderous focused on the control panel beside the gate. Fortunately it was a standard layout, and he was able to cut the power to the gate with a few simple pushes. Alex went in first ready to unleash hell on anyone inside; sadly he found the place empty.

His partner pointed towards a small maintenance door on the left, the door was made of heavily reinforced durasteel. Canderous stepped up to the security pad beside the door and entered a long series of numbers. Alex stood watch, if any more patrol drones appeared. After a few tense seconds there was a soft beep from the security pad, and the door slid open.

"You're quite the hacker, old man." Alex said.

"This is just basic stuff." Canderous replied, shouldering past him and into the factory.

They found themselves standing in a narrow, dimly lit corridor. From there they set of down the hall, it continued straight for about thirty meters, then made a sharp right turn that ended in a closed-door. Unlike the door which gave them access to the factory, this one didn't seem to be reinforced or locked. From the other side Alex could hear the deep, rhythmic thud of heavy machinery churning away. Alex pressed the access panel on the wall and readied himself. The door slid open to reveal the plant's main production floor, and a wave of intense heat smacked him in the face. The manufacturing floor was massive, about a hundred meters across and easily twice as long. Numerous doors lined each wall, dozens of exits to different areas of the plant.

Alex signaled the all clear and stepped through, at the far side he could see a small dangling light in a room high up close to the roof. The room was located in the south-east corner and the pair had to cross nearly the entire space to get there. Another wave of intense heat hit his body, for Alex it was fine, but to Canderous the heat was oppressive; the air almost seemed to stick to the man's throat. But Alex received no sign of complaint; the man was a fighter through and through.

Finally they arrived at the entrance to the room, it was an office and the light still shone through the side window. Carefully Alex tried to pry the door open, it didn't budge.

"Get us inside." Alex said as low as possible.

Canderous nodded and leaned against the wall and punched several buttons on his console. But the door didn't open.

"Try again." Alex pressed on.

Canderous did as ordered, Alex watched the security panel flash with the words 'Access Denied'. The man tried a third time with the same result.

"Sorry, can't hack this door."

Alex nodded, trying to formulate a plan in his mind to overcome this situation. After a few seconds, he came up with a simple but effective solution.

Turning around he said. "I have a plan, as soon as the door open charge in."

Shifting a large amount of biomass into his right fist, Alex created a massive, hammer-like hand. He could barely pick up a low 'What the hell' from Canderous before he launched a powerful strike. The door flew off at an incredible speed and crashed at the opposite wall, crushing the large computer station at the far side. Alex jumped in first followed shortly by Canderous, scanning the room Alex saw nothing particular of interest except for the unconscious Chiss lying under some broken computer equipment.

Seeing no danger, he released the transformation. Turning around, he came face to face with the barrel of a large silver heavy repeater.

"What the hell was that?" Canderous demanded, looking at Alex's right arm as it returned to normal.

_How to play this? _Alex raised his hands slowly."Put simply, I'm a shapeshifter."

"Bullshit. The only shapeshifters I've heard about are the Clawdites." Canderous narrowed his eyes. "And they can definitely not change like that."

"What can I say, I'm a new breed." Alex smiled.

Canderous was quiet for a moment. "Then what about that increase in strength, even if you're a shifter your strength should be the same."

"The truth is I can freely manipulate my biomass." As a demonstration, straightened out his left arm and formed a blade. "Now that you know, what will you do?"

Canderous grunted. "Every instinct, every fiber of my being tells me to squeeze the trigger and not let go until nothing of you remains."

Alex laughed. "Good, then you have good instincts."

"But… I'm not going to." Canderous dropped his weapon but kept watching him.

"May I ask why?"

There was a small silence between them.

"I'm a Mandalorian. My kind respect power and strength above all else." Canderous watched him up and down. "When I look at you I see just that. Now I realize, that, on some level was what drove me towards you from the beginning."

"Then we can continue this partnership?"

"We can, but one day I will challenge you." Canderous stroked his chin. "My blood demands it."

Alex smiled. "I'm looking forward to it. Now let's deal with that thing over there."

Walking over to the broken pile of computer equipment, Alex pulled the unconscious Chiss out and put him down on a chair to the left. Unlike the Chiss he had seen earlier, this one possessed none of the expensive clothing or accessories as them. Sprouting few bruises, he seemed to be alright otherwise.

Alex gave the Chiss a hard slap on the cheek which promptly woke him up. Quickly putting a hand over his mouth, Alex said.

"If you scream, we'll kill you."

The Chiss nodded and Alex released him. Now wide awake, the Chiss's eyes darted back and forth between his captors.

"Let's keep it simple. Tell us what we want to know and you can live." Alex said.

The Chiss snorted. "I won't tell you human scum anything."

Canderous stepped up beside Alex. "You can make him talk?"

"I can, but you probably don't want to be here for it."

Canderous nodded and stepped outside the office, closing the door behind him. Now alone with his prisoner, Alex went over and put a hand on his chest, smiling.

"What are you smiling about, human."

"Oh nothing, I've just never tasted a Chiss before."

Tendrils sprung forth from his arm and he pierced forward, feeling the rush of a lifetime of memories entering his mind. At first he was unsure if it would even work absorbing an alien, but now that he had, he realized it was no different from absorbing a human. In fact Chiss were a lot like humans he now knew; they had comparable circulatory, neurological, digestive and reproductive system. Perhaps that was the reason it worked or perhaps he could convert any living tissue into biomass, whether it was human or alien. Right now though it didn't matter.

Alex opened the door and stepped out. "We have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Canderous inquired.

"They've moved Monraux." Alex frowned. "It seems we're going to Taris."

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Au

And there you have it. This chapter was a lot longer than the previous two, roughly 4 400 words. I will not release an update until the end of August or early September due to traveling and exams. But I can promise you that very soon a few more familiar faces will appear.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I wrote this during my travels, so the quality might not be that good. But here is an earlier update than what I previously said.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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"So this is your ship."

The military veteran stated more than asked. The trip to the spaceport had been a boring one for Alex; he had tried to gleam some more information from the man several times and only got one word responses along with several grunts. Talking was obviously not one of Canderous strong points, spending several decades in the Mandalorian military at least taught you not to pass on any unnecessary information.

"Yea it previously belonged to a scientist." Alex explained as they walked up the walkway. "I got it off him quite cheap."

Wasting no time, the pair went for the bridge in the center of the ship and took their seats. The bridge had room for three chairs; the commanding seat overlooked the other two. Alex punched several buttons on the computer and then activated the navi-computer.

Canderous raised a brow. "Did your voice just change?"

"Yeah I can do that." Alex smiled. "One of the perks of being me."

Canderous just nodded in his seat and began checking the ships systems for any complications.

"You know, I thought you would be more curious about me."

"Figured you'd tell when you're ready."

"How considerate of you. I'm quite impressed." Alex activated the propulsion system which lifted the ship off the ground. "Normally when someone sees one of my transformations they run in terror in the opposite direction."

The veteran shrugged. "I've seen many things in my time."

"What kind of things?" Alex wondered.

"Strange things."

The ship hummed as the sublight drive activated and drove them away from the city. Alex guessed he wouldn't get any more information about the subject, but he was determined not to give up. With his unique ability, knowledge had become a little of a drug for him.

"So where you're from?"

"Ordo"

Alex raised a brow."You're named after your planet, that's strange."

Canderous grunted.

"So tell me about Ordo."

"Mostly barren desert."

"You know, your level of response makes me all…" Alex put a hand on his chest. "Warm and fuzzy inside."

Alex received no reaction. "Yeah, good talk."

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The sound of bartering, sellers hawking wares and people calling out to each other where constantly pressed against his auditory senses. The market place on Taris Middle City was in the high rush of the day. Engines whined as many swoops and air speeders traversed through the air-traffic ways above. Alex felt greatly annoyed as he tried to push his way through the enormous crowed with Canderous in tow, this place followed the survival of the fittest philosophy. The only thing these people cared about were to make a quick buck, and they didn't care who they had to step on to get it. Alex could relate to that, but now it felt like every being did their out most to block his way.

The dozen or so Republic troops patrolling the area had no means to handle a major incident; from the looks of things, they had neither the means nor the will to intervene. They were mostly there for symbolic reasons, to show people that the law was still being upheld. Alex had discovered in the Upper City that was true, but down here and further down the only law was just that of the survival of the fittest. After what felt like an eternity, the pair exited the market place and continued down to the east of the four exiting pathways.

"Do you even know where you're going?"

Alex nodded under his hood. "Our friendly Chiss told me everything we need to know."

"Yeah tell me about that again."

"Not much to tell. They're holding him down in the Lower City forcing him to work on a secret weapon." Alex gazed backwards. "Oh and they're in league with The Black Vulkars"

"The Black Vulkars! Now that's a worthy challenge." Seeing Alex's questioning look, he continued. "The Black Vulkars don't recognize the underworlds hierarchy and openly defy the Exchange."

"The Exchange who's dealing in spice smuggling, extortion, weapon trafficking, slave trading and bounty hunting?"

Canderous nodded. "Yeah that Exchange."

Alex chuckled. "This could be fun after all."

The rest of the way was spent in silence as the pair moved closer to their destination. The only way down to the Lower City was by elevator but not many people would willingly go down there, that level belonged to the underworld organizations. As they reached the elevator they were greeted by two stationed republic soldiers wearing the traditional red and yellow armor.

The soldier to the right greeted them. "Halt sir. I'd advice you not to go any further; we have no presence down there."

"We're going down anyway." Alex said.

The solider nodded. "Just be careful down there. Those gangs will take a shot at anybody. Even our patrols came under fire."

A low hiss escaped as the blast doors opened and the pair went inside. On the way down, Canderous checked all his equipment for any faults. He found none. Despite looking really old and worn down, the armor were made out of high quality materials who could take a beating. The elevator shook as it stopped at the right floor and the doors opened. So far it looked okay, no one had ganged up on the door trying to rob them, and in fact it was a little too empty for the things he's heard about the place. As the coast was clear, Alex took a step out of the elevator. Then pain and emptiness filled his consciousness.

Awareness returned slowly. He was on the ground, staring at the ceiling as the world pulled itself back together.

Alex pulled himself back up, and he was fuming.

"Did someone just shoot me in the _fucking_ face!"

He jerked his head to the right and saw three heavily armed thugs with shotguns. The brutality of what happened next shocked even Canderous, he was proud of his ability to always stay calm in the face of danger. Proud over his ability to follow orders no matter what happened around him, and then he saw Alex's head grow back and how the man literally ripped apart his attackers like a savage beast feasting on its prey. Canderous did what any normal human being would, he froze in place.

Alex turned around and Canderous saw eyes he'd never forget. The man's eyes were like the lit end of a cigarette, burning into him. On some primal level it made him realize that this was not a human who used violence, this was violence in human form. His stance radiated an aura of overwhelming power, threatening to swallow him whole. He blinked, and then it was gone. Still, he didn't move.

Alex clenched and unclenched his fists, and after a few seconds stopped the process. Looking at Canderous's frozen form he realized it couldn't have looked pretty.

He chuckled. "Note to self, don't become enraged when head gets blown off."

Alex took a step towards his partner and raised his hands. "It's okay, I'm calm now."

Canderous nodded and swallowed hard, then walked over to the massacre.

"Shotguns? I didn't think anyone used projectile weapons anymore."

"Guess they use what they can find." Alex nodded to the right. "Come on. It's this way."

"Just so you know when this is over, you and I am going to have a serious conversation about what just happened." Canderous said.

Their current path took longer than expected; none of them were keen on getting shot at again. Eventually they came upon a heavily armed patrol guarding the entrance to the Black Vulkars base. Several grey autoturrets were placed towards the sides aimed they're way with two guards behind them.

"How do you want to do this, the easy way or the slightly harder way?" Alex asked.

"What's the easy way?"

"We go up, tell them the code and they let us in."

Canderous nodded. "And the slightly harder way?"

"We kill them."

The seriousness in his tone caught Canderous off guard. "You call that slightly harder, you do realize they have auto turrets."

Alex grinned. "Like I said, slightly harder."

Canderous shook his head. "Seeing as _I_ can't regenerate having my head blown off, I choose the easy way."

"Fine, spoils sport."

Several tendrils sprung forth from his body and a second later he had the form of the Chiss gang member, a few seconds later they were walking towards the enormous blast doors. Just before they arrived, Alex told Canderous to follow his lead.

"Halt, who goes there?"

"I'm Balarek of the Kura gang." He pointed towards Canderous. "This is my associate; I need to see the boss."

"You think I'm just gonna let you in?"

Alex smiled. "I am the wave of the future."

The guard nodded. "Go on in."

When the doors closed behind them Canderous asked. "Wave of the future? That's their password."

Alex shrugged. "Yeah, anyways Monraux is being held a level below us in their science lab."

Canderous stopped. "Wait a minute, how can you know all this? You were practically in the room with the guy for fifteen seconds back on Thule."

"Let's save that conversation for later." Alex answered. "So what's our objective, save Monraux or take out the Kura gang?"

"I'm contracted to take out the gang, Monraux is of no importance."

"Then let's split up, I take care of Monraux and you deal with the gang."

Canderous nodded. "And where are they?"

Alex grinned. "No idea."

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Au

What I said in the previous chapter still remains; next update will probably be in about 2-3 weeks time. Like always, read and review.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Wow, 37 reviews in 4 chapters is a new record for me. You people are great.

Therefore I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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_Previously _

_Alex answered. "So what's our objective, save Monraux or take out the Kura gang?"_

"_I'm contracted to take out the gang, Monraux is of no importance."_

"_Then let's split up, I take care of Monraux and you deal with the gang."_

_Canderous nodded. "And where are they?"_

_Alex grinned. "No idea."_

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His body tensed, nostrils flaring noisily and his jaw clenched.

"What do you mean _No idea_" Canderous narrowed cold eyes. "You didn't just bring me here all the way from Thule, and not know where they are."

"Well I don't know _exactly_ where they are, more like in a general sense." Alex paused. "They're here…somewhere…on the planet."

"Oh gee thanks, can't you try to be a little less specific?" Canderous sneered. "Now I have to search all over again."

"Well if it's too much trouble, I guess I could incapacitate you." Alex made a half-hearted shrug. "You don't have to search and I don't have to hear you bitch about it. Problem solved for the both of us."

Canderous's posture stiffened. "I've never believed in evil, but there's something seriously wrong with the way you think."

Alex snorted. "_Evil_ is such a silly notion. I am simply free of all limitations and have all of what 'normal' people would call illegal and immoral options available to me."

"But no, I wouldn't hurt you too much Canderous. I have become quite fond of you." Alex strokes his chin. "Like how you have fondness for a pet, kind of like a hamster."

Canderous clenched his teeth. "I am a Mandalorian Warlord. I'm nobodies _pet_!"

Alex took a step back. "I apologize. But I do seem to remember something now; yeah the gang is definitely here."

"In fact, I would even say they have been absorbed into The Black Vulkars."

Canderous took several deep breaths. "Oh that's great. So what, you just wanted to mess with me?"

"Yes," Alex rubbed his neck. "I was… bored."

"I swear one day I'm going to kill you."

"I would have taken your threat seriously if I thought you had even the slightest chance of acting on it." Alex smiled. "And remember, you promised to challenge me one day."

"So can we do this? I promise I'll behave… most of the time."

"As much as I would to get rid of you, your…unique talents might come in handy."

"Good, then you gather intelligence or whatever while I take a field trip downstairs."

Alex left without waiting for a response, heading straight through the dull grey corridor. He felt very satisfied with himself, messing with someone's mind always left him so invigorated. At first he thought his Mandalorian friend was the kind of guy who always had his emotions under check, but clearly even he couldn't deal with Alex's unique talent to get under someone's skin. There was some deep-lying anger and frustration buried inside, now he had only to figure out at what.

His current path led him to a large open-spaced room with several different beings, he counted four guards patrolling, three people lifting and organizing a lot of boxes, and lastly a single green being with two tails. Only they were on its head, and they had no hair whatsoever. A Twi'lek if he remembered correctly and he always did. Alex thought there was something off about those boxes; they were packed but seemed to be very light. But he decided it probably wasn't anything important. Still looking as a Chiss, Alex stepped into the room and continued to the far corner. It had taken him all but two seconds to learn the walk of belonging, and he passed the room without raising any suspicion. The problem now was he had no idea where the elevator was located, and this place was built like a mace.

"I need a snack."

He followed the corridor for about fifty meters before coming to a crossing, the path to the left had several connecting rooms while the right path just continued to another crossing. Alex opted for the left, and accessed the controls to the first room. The durasteel door slid open with a low hiss, and revealed what looked like the staff housing. The room had four double beds lined along the side walls, and someone was sleeping on one of them. Alex grinned.

Alex manipulated his body to become as light as possible, and moved over to the bed. Towering over the person, who he now saw was a female human, he noticed a silver collar of sorts around the woman's neck. It wasn't hard to figure out what it was for; he doubted anyone in their right mind would want to work for The Black Vulkar's willingly. He felt sorry for her, being forced to do whatever they wanted can't be a happy existence. It would be much better if she worked for him instead.

Reaching down, he chook her lightly. Green eyes met sickly light blue, and the woman jumped out of the bed, terrified. Judging by her face going white, she probably shouldn't have rested at the moment. Add to that with trembling lips and a downward look, it was a pathetic sight. Alex actually felt angry, The Vulkar's had really done a number on the girl. And her constant apologizing didn't help settle his mood, at all.

"Be quiet." He growled.

The woman shut up immediately. Even for someone like him it stung to see someone so broken.

"Where is the elevator?"

The woman kept her eyes on the floor. "I...It's down the corridor to the right, then left and right again. My Lord."

He nodded and continued to watch her in silence. Her blank eyes, devoid of all hope settled it. "Do you want to get out of here?"

She was trying to keep her body from shaking, and failing. "N… No no, never my Lord. I would never even think about that."

Alex smiled warmly. "Don't worry, I will set you free."

He pulled her close to him, and let his tendrils crawl up her arms. It took less than a second, and then the sound of metal hitting metal echoed across the room.

Alex stood there.

Alone.

In silence.

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Canderous watched Alex move away without waiting for a reply. How he hated the man at this moment, he really was insufferable. Having the stomach to call _him_, a Mandalorian Warlord, for a pet. He decided then and there he would make him pay for that after this was done. In truth, if Mercer was normal he would have done so already. That right there was the problem, Mercer was as far away from normal as you can get. If the guy had a bio somewhere, he was sure it would contain the words powerful, intelligent, cruel, and bored.

A very dangerous combination.

Taking care of Mercer at the moment was out of the question, it would require serious planning to even have a chance of success. That was why he then and there decided to glean as much information from him as possible before striking. Right now though, he had other matters to attend. Following the same way as Mercer, Canderous hunched down and observed the room. When all people present had their focus elsewhere, he snuck out and dived to the left and in through another passageway.

Canderous became alert to a clinking metal sound, stopped all movement and crunched down behind a couple of metal boxes. Reached into his pocket and threw a small circular device up ahead which landed in the middle of the walkway. As the sound intensified, he punched in the activation code on his wrist console. A second later, a small energized bubble originated from the device and expanded with a radius of three meters. Canderous waited for a sign of alert, but was only greeted with silence, then moved up to the blast site. A fully intact Mark III assault droid lay motionless on the ground; the ion grenade had done its job.

Judging by its damaged armoring and its second-rate fire arm, the Vulkars must have found and repaired the droid themselves. This kind of assault droid wasn't in production anymore, replaced by the Mark IV version that was more intelligent, had more firepower and accuracy, and better shield technology. With its electronic systems permanently damaged, this droid wouldn't function again unless all its internal circuitry was replaced. Canderous took the droid by its legs and lifted it inside one of the boxes, then continued around the corner.

The sound of two people talking originated behind him; with no place to hide he rushed into a full sprint forward. Up ahead he could see another crossing, this time he had no chance to observe the best route, and so he chose left and hoped lady luck was on his side. Thankfully, this time it was. This pathway led upwards to the upper level of the compound, which had only one main space with several smaller rooms connected to it. He relaxed his breathing before venturing in, blaster drawn, scanning each room as he moved carefully around the area.

Finally he relaxed and holstered his black custom-made blaster, Canderous went back and in through the doorway leading to one of the rooms opposite to the walkway down. Inside he found a large processor of some kind, with various ingredients lying on the table in front. To the left of the device, a small opening containing a compartment of sorts was visibly. On further investigation, there was some trace materials left inside. Canderous scraped it off with his index finger and smelled it, then placed a small amount on his tongue.

"Hm, spice."

He had no idea The Vulkar's were planning on expanding into the drug business, and if he had anything to say about it, they wouldn't. Canderous reached behind the device and found a small hatch, opening the front. Intending to leave a small gift, he took out a round device and attached it to the main processor. Finished, he scanned the area for anything else of interest.

A rectangular metal box hanging on the opposite wall could his attention. The circuitry inside looked like the compound's heating control system.

Before he had the chance to look at it further, the structure around him shook violently. Almost making him lose his balance, the walls vibrated as if a powerful ripple effect went through the durasteel. It was hard as the alarm began shouting, but he could hear several smaller explosions and lots of blaster fire from the level below. Readying his heavy-repeater, Canderous took the same way he came. He had to brace himself against the wall as another powerful vibration shook the walkway leading down; finally reaching the main floor he had to stop himself from gasping.

The standard lights were out; the emergency lightening system cast a low red hue across the area as he moved towards the commotion. Being a trained military man, Canderous ignored the various body parts lying on the floor, too focused on any sign of movement.

What kind of savage beast could… Wait a minute, he did know of one beast alright.

He hunched down against the wall and peaked around the corner, some twenty meters away a severely frightened guard with his back against the wall kept shooting at something. Then _it_ came out, a large silver humanoid of some kind. Its entire form seemed impervious to damage as the blaster bolts just dissipated on impact without any reaction from the creature. The humanoid raised its right arm and scratched three horizontal lines with its massive claws as it moved closer and closer to the frightened guard.

Then in one swift stroke, the guard was dead.

Canderous was just about to duck back behind cover, when the creature looked at him. It had no visible eyes, but Canderous knew it had looked right at him. Staring at the beast, he readied a frag grenade with his hidden left arm. Just as he was about to attack, the humanoid shifted, and what now stood before him was the familiar sight of someone with a black leather jacket along with a raised hood.

Canderous let out a breath. "So it was you after all."

Mercer nodded under his hood.

"Any particular reason you massacred everyone?"

"I met a slave." Alex stated.

"Strange." Canderous raised a brow. "Didn't think someone like you cared about slavery."

"I don't, slavery is just the natural order of things, weaker beings are used by stronger ones." Mercer stopped for a second. "But you didn't see the girl. They had broken her completely. Whoever she was, was completely gone."

Mercer growled. "She was basically a walking, talking meat suit. To be stripped of your identity, _that_ I will not accept."

Canderous nodded and remained silent. Maybe Mercer wasn't so bad after all; he was still a cruel asshole, but he at least had some standards.

"Did you find Monraux?" Canderous inquired.

Merced looked surprised under his hood. "I actually forgot about him."

"Then let's head to the elevator."

With the way cleared, it took all but two minutes to the elevator, much less to ride it down a level. With some excellent marksmanship from Canderous, the two guards stationed outside the elevator doors dropped before they even knew what hit them. Alex saw a middle-aged man work on a device through a transparisteel viewport on the right; a couple of speeder bikes and various other equipment also inhabited the area. On swift stroke with his fist and the console by the door broke.

The middle-aged man ran towards them. "Please tell me you're here to rescue me."

"Something like that." Alex answered.

"These guys took me on Thule and bombed my apartment." The man ran his fingers through his brown hair. "Are you guys with Taris Civil Authority?"

"Were private contractors." Canderous butted in.

The man let out a huge breath. "Good…That's good, now take me out of here."

Canderous took the man by the arm and was about to lead him out.

"Not so fast. I want to know why they kidnapped you?" Alex asked.

He swallowed hard. "They wanted me to recreate my newest invention. A device that could basically hack any system…almost any system."

Alex went over to the table and pointed towards a small wrist console. "Is that it?"

"Yes! But it's not finished, I tried to stall as much as possible. Now can we please go?"

"How much left is there?"

"Just a few adjustments really, but even if I fixed that, only I have the codes and know how it works."

The man shook his head. "But even so, I'd never let anyone use it. I…I'd lock it away."

Alex marched over and pushed Canderous aside. "Imbecile. Do you have any idea how valuable it is in the right hands?"

"T...That's exactly why I have to lock it away or destroy it."

Alex growled. "Unsightly."

One quick thrust and he allowed his tendrils to absorb the middle-aged man. The familiar rush of memories flashed in his mind, he picked up the device and punched in a nine-figured code. The device flared to life, ready to serve its new master.

"Was that really necessary?" Canderous asked.

Alex jerked his head towards him. "The idiot wanted to destroy it; he couldn't even image what it could do in the hands of someone like me. He didn't deserve it."

"I think he knew _exactly_ what could happen if someone like you have it."

"Point taken." Alex stroke the side of his new toy."By the way, you don't seem agitated at all that I just ripped someone apart."

Canderous shrugged. "Actually I had a hypothesis about that, you said you consist of biomass, and you learned a hell of a lot from the Chiss on Thule in basically no time."

He took a deep breath, than continued. "And then you transformed into the guy at the entrance, so I figured you had downloaded his memory or something. But you actually absorbed all of him."

Canderous readied his heavy-repeater. "Only question now is, what will you do now that I know?"

Alex stared at him, and then laughed. "We've been over this. If I was going to get rid of you, I would have done so already."

The Mandalorian relaxed. "Well then, no point in hanging around here anymore."

Alex followed him out and up the elevator back to the entrance. The blast doors were wide open and no sign of any life.

"By the way, what did you do after I left?" Alex asked.

Canderous snickered. "I found a spice lab on the upper level for a drug called pyrepenol."

When Alex just raised a brow, he continued. "Basically it grants its user a sense of invincibility."

"Don't need a drug for that." Alex smiled.

"Yeah well, I left a nasty surprise for whoever tries to make some more."

"Not to burst your bubble, but what is that." Alex pointed towards the sky.

Looking up, Canderous gasped. "That's three Sith Interdictor cruisers."

"I take it that's bad."

Canderous nodded. "Very."

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Au

Well, there's obviously some trouble in paradise between Mercer and Canderous. Can they work it out? Or will it end with one of them dead? Guess you have to wait and see. Now we're basically at the beginning of the game for those who are unsure about the timeline.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Freelance jack of all trades Alex Mercer sighed as he put down the glass containing Whyren's Reserve, a very expensive Corellian whiskey. He had taken a liking to the crisp and woody taste. The mission to 'save' Monraux had ended pretty well, what happened afterwards didn't. The Sith starfighters descended upon the city as lightning from a storm, killing anyone unfortunate enough to stand in their way. He was rather impressed with their invasion, it had been done fast and not so clean, and just the way he likes it. With the republic forces being almost nonexistent, it had only taken a few hours to get complete control of the entire world. Whether or not that could be considered a good thing remained to be seen. He had to give the Sith some credit, they knew very well how to get their point across.

Everything that had happened had made moving around a bit harder with Sith patrols almost everywhere which conducted random searches as they pleased. That was why he had spent most of his time in the local cantina Javyar in the lower city, while Canderous was trying to figure out a way off the planet. The Sith ruler, Darth Malak, had inflicted a planet-wide quarantine preventing any ships from landing or leaving. Alex wasn't too thrilled at the idea of trying to make a break for it with his ship, a few had tried, and no one had succeeded.

Alex continued to scan the cantina for something, anything really which could peak his interest. The cantina was full of different kinds of beings, the right side mostly contained humans, and the left filled with various aliens. The local band containing Bith was a personal favorite; their bubble like heads was amusing to him. He had opted to pay Zax, the manager of the Bounty Office a visit, but Canderous had insisted that he kept a low profile. And he didn't like it one bit. Rumor was Zax took on unauthorized bounties from the Exchange boss Davik Kang, and Alex really wanted to meet this Kang person. But Canderous had made him promise to do nothing, and he always kept his promises.

"Hello there."

The voice came from an attractive blonde woman to his left, she watched him with a smile as he nodded and made a motion for her to sit down. Judging by her clothing and looks, Alex deduced she must be rich and popular around these parts.

"You know, I've seen you in here for four days straight." She put her own glass down on the table. "You always order the same thing and you don't talk to anybody. It's almost like you want to be alone."

Alex raised a brow. "And you didn't get the message?"

"Oh I got it alright; I just choose to ignore it."

He flashed a smile, her boldness was intriguing.

Alex leaned forward. "Do you know what I do to people like you?"

She leaned forward, challenging him. "Oh I bet it's something exciting."

He stared at her for a moment, she smelled of alcohol, before leaning back again. "Any particular reason you're here?"

"I've watched you. Like I said, you've been here for a couple of days. You don' talk to anybody, just watching all the time." She bit her lip. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were browsing."

_You have no idea._ "And you thought I've been searching for someone like you."

"Exactly."

Alex took a sip from his class. "Why isn't such an exotic creature like you with your friends?"

"Oh Barry can't hold his liquor, and Jonathan doesn't really like to party." She leaned closer to his ear. "They're going to announce him as the new Ceo of the mining company InterGalactic Ore tomorrow. But don't tell anybody."

He nodded. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul."

Out of the corner of his eye, Alex spotted a familiar face. His partner in crime watched him across the bar and nodded.

"Unfortunately, I have some business to attend to." Alex tossed her a credit chip. "Go buy yourself a drink, I might join you later."

She seemed all too eager at the prospect of another drink and left right away, now replaced with Canderous.

"Things are looking up, Mercer."

"Do you have a way off this shit hole yet?"

Canderous took hold off the only glass left on the table and poured it down his throat. "Ah… That hit the spot."

Alex's hand twitched. "You do know that was _my_ drink."

"Yep… Anyway I've found out a lot since yesterday." Wiping his mouth he continued. "We can leave the planet if we have the right codes."

"Great, where are they?"

"That's the problem; they're inside the old republic base. Guess it's the new Sith headquarters now."

Alex nodded. "A minor inconvenience."

"This is why I struck a deal with the escape pod survivors. We help them save their missing companion, and they get the codes for us."

"Good, then let's go."

Canderous combed fingers through his hair. "There's one more thing. I kind of promised they could leave the planet…on your ship."

"You what! I leave you alone for two seconds and this is what happens." Alex pointed across the cantina. "You see that group over there? There's a couple of more strays we can pick up. I think there's still some room left in the cargo hold."

Canderous crossed his arms. "That's the deal, accept it."

Alex sighed. "Fine, how many are there?"

"After we save their friend, five people."

"I guess if I don't like them I get a free meal at least, or five."

Canderous shrugged. "Do what you want, but at least wait until after we have the codes."

"Of course, I'm not stupid."

In truth, Alex thought it could be fun to have some more victims to torment. He wasn't bored with tormenting Canderous, only it could be nice with some variation.

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Republic officer Carth Onasi straightened his flight jacket and sighed.

_Damn Jedi._

Everything had been fine; he was under orders to go on a scouting mission to the republic outpost on Taris in the Ojoster Sector. The Republic navy didn't have many warships to spare, and Carth was more than willing to take a small frigate to investigate the rumors of a nearby Sith fleet. Being bumped up to the Hammerhead-class cruiser The Endar Spire would have been fine if not for losing his command to an inexperienced Jedi brat named Bastila. Supposedly, she was very important to combating the Sith armada with a moral boost power. He didn't know how it worked; only that it was important.

He could have taken all that, change in command did happen sometimes on short notice. But said Jedi had lost the fight, and managed to get kidnapped by the Black Vulkar's at the crash site. Not only did he have to find a way off a Sith controlled world, he also had to save his Jedi commander from her captors. It wasn't all bad though, he had managed to save one fellow soldier. A human male called Voren. He was an unprepossessing man, with fair skin, dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. An 'average' man by all accounts.

All Carth really knew about him was that he came from Deralia and was important enough to be selected as a Jedi's personal bodyguard. Why a Jedi would need a non force-sensitive guard was still a mystery. But after what happened, he guessed Bastila really did need one.

The man was resourceful, he had managed to find out where Bastila were being kept and struck a deal with the Hidden Beks. Not to mention, convincing the child Mission and her Wookie friend Zaalbar to aid for no other reason than to see the Vulkar's faces as they lose. Voren really was leadership material.

"What is taking them so long?"

Carth realized the man could use some more patience though. "Relax, they'll be here soon."

"I'm just itching to get our commander back and get out of here." Voren said.

"Yeah, and to show those Vulkar's whose boss." Mission agreed.

"You do know you're not coming, right?" Carth looked firmly in her eyes. "We can't have a child compromising our mission."

"Hey I'm not a child, I'm fourteen. Besides, I got Big Z to look after me."

"Bet that's all he does." Carth said under his breath.

Voren shook his head. "Do the two of you have to antagonize each other? We have to work together, see solutions instead of problems."

Mission turned her head away. "Is that them over there?"

Voren turned around and spotted the middle-aged Mandalorian along with another being. He felt something was off about him from the start; he couldn't pinpoint why but he felt like something was out-of-place with the man. He signaled the others to be ready in case this was a trap.

The pair now stood in front of the group and nodded as a greeting.

"You guys ready?" Canderous looked them all over and received several nods in return.

Alex tapped his foot. "Could someone please tell me what the plan is?"

Voren took the lead and began to explain the situation as effective as possible.

"So let me get this straight." Alex crossed his arms. "You made a deal with the Beks to sneak into the Vulkar's base to get a prototype accelerator for a swoop bike, this swoop bike will be driven by _you_ to win your friend back from the Vulkar's in a swoop race. Is that right?"

"Pretty much."

"That just might be the most stupid plan I've ever heard."

"W... what? Why?"

"Oh gee I don't know. If _my_ friend was kidnapped and I knew where he was and when, I'd probably just go there and take him back." Alex grimaced under his hood. "But that's just me apparently."

"_Maw ryuraygy wyogg mumwa."_

Alex leaned closer to Canderous. "What's the walking carpet saying?"

"He said you have a point." Canderous explained as he gave Alex a 'don't start any shit' look.

Mission turned and looked at Voren. "I agree with the creepy dude, that plan is probably much faster."

"True, but that way will probably result in a lot of violence."

"The Vulkar's consist of rapists, murderers and overall scumbags." Alex shrugged. "Who cares what happens to them."

Voren observed his team for signs of approval, only the republic officer disapproved.

"Fine, we'll go along with your plan. But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

As per Mission's suggestion, the newly formed team Voren regrouped the day after close by to the swoop track. Alex wanted to raise his concerns with the situation, that name wasn't any good at all. Team Zeus on the other hand sounded both mysterious and dangerous. He wanted to change their minds about it, but the amount of work put down wouldn't outweigh the result.

There were three ways to get inside the swoop track, as a sponsored driver, as a VIP and lastly if you were simply rich enough. Thanks to the Hidden Beks, the group classified as VIPs. Canderous and Alex passed through the entrance to the spectator area at the same time. The pair recognized several people as Vulkar's members from their dark orange armor, the same ones they had seen inside the Vulkar's base. As the competition had already started, they took up their positions and waited.

"Who do you think will win?"

"There's really only two that could win." Canderous pointed towards an orange-skinned Twi'lek. "Anglu of the Hidden Beks"

"And Redros from the Vulkar's." A male Kadas'sa'Nikto.

Before Alex could response, he continued. "Now don't do anything stupid before we get the signal."

"Define stupid."

"Ladies and gentlemen. I present to you the winner of this year's swoop race!" The voice of the Duros announcer echoed over the area. "And here to hand over the champion's prize is Brejik, the leader of the Black Vulkar's."

That piqued Alex's interest; Brejik was the man they were going to convince of letting the republic soldier go. Alex however was less interested in hearing how proud the man was about one of his own winning the race and proving that the Vulkar's was the best gang on Taris. Alex scanned the area around the cage, then observed his Mandalorian friend and saw what he was looking for.

"Well Canderous it's time to do one of those things you might call… stupid."

A second later, a round silver-colored container flew through the air and landed with several thuds between a couple of Vulkar's near the swoop track. Alex felt pleased with the result; the following explosion caused the deaths of two Vulkar's and mass panic from all 'normal' people.

Voren came running up and took Alex by the shirt. "You idiot! There were civilians caught in that explosion."

"An acceptable loss." Alex tilted his head to the side. "Unless you want to die I suggest we deal with those angry-looking men with blasters."

"I'll deal with you later." Voren let him go and joined the rest of the team in the ensuing fight.

Canderous shook his head. "I told you not to do anything stupid, so why?"

"Well of course I'm going to do something stupid if you tell me not too."

Several explosions brought them to their senses and Canderous joined the fight with his heavy-repeater. Now alone, Alex didn't really have the will to fight. Having dealt with the Vulkar's before, he knew it wouldn't be any interesting. So he stood there and watched as the people around him fought for their lives. Canderous was impressive as always and Voren could easily give him a run for his money. Seeing the Wookie lift up a defenseless enemy and killing him effortlessly made an idea form in his mind. The Wookie would look really nice in his living quarters on his ship; due to the size he opted for the floor instead of the wall.

During the commotion the republic prisoner had managed to escape her cage and had now joined in the fight. Alex walked up to Canderous as the fight was almost over and simply observed. With a quick series of sequences, the newly freed girl ended Brejik's life with a vibroblade.

"I do hope she has a charming personality." Alex commented to Canderous.

"Bastila, were here to rescue you." Voren said as he came running.

"I'm a member of the Jedi Order and a fleet commander for the republic. I didn't need saving and in truth it was I who saved you."

Alex stared with a blank expression.

"I hate her already."

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Au

This chapter was a pain in the ass to write. I'm not used to write conversations and actions of several characters happening at the same time, something I have to work on. You can probably expect an update in 2-3 weeks time.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Voren felt relief as he stepped through the entrance to the South Apartments in the Upper City. Due to the strict laws of aliens not being allowed in the Upper City, this apartment complex became a hideout for many illegal aliens. This complex was perfect if you didn't want to get find out, the majority of the Upper City citizens considered this place too poorly to live in. Due to its rundown nature, the Tarisian Authorities were unlikely to bother investigating.

At first everything had seemed hopeless, crash landing after a brutal defeat when orbiting Taris and then to realize only three people survived. Now however, they had come half way to their goal. He had worked hard with the plan to rescue Bastila, gathering Intel and forming the right alliances. Then 'that' man showed up and a second later, all that was almost for nothing. Right now though, it didn't matter. Rescuing Bastila had given him enough hope and conviction to get away from this planet and the Sith.

"I'd like to thank you for your help in rescuing Bastila, despite what happened." Voren turned around and was about to glare at the culprit. "Where is he by the way?"

Canderous grunted. "He's probably off doing something stupid again."

"Never mind that, now we must leave planet." Bastila looked at Voren. "Let's go."

"We haven't actually got a way off the planet yet."

"What! What have you been doing all this time?"

Voren crossed his arms. "We were saving you, remember."

"I see. I guess without Jedi training completing both objectives would be difficult." Bastila lifted her chin. "But now that I'm in charge we can get things moving."

Carth shook his head. "We can't get hold up on who's in charge. Besides, a leader doesn't berate her troops just because things aren't going as planned."

"That's hardly the way of addressing your commander, Carth. I am a member of the Jedi order and this is my mission."

"Then what do you suggest we do Bastila?" Voren asked before things went out of hand.

"First we find a means of transportation, and then find a way through the blockade."

Canderous cleared his throat. "About that, the codes we need to escape are in the Sith headquarters. We already have a shuttle ready, only need the codes."

Bastila nodded. "Hmm, at least someone knows what they're doing."

Ignoring the jab, Voren asked. "How are we going to get inside the most secure place on the planet?"

"At first we were going to use an advanced security device," Canderous sighed. "But as he ran off, we need to acquire a droid. T3-M4 to be exact."

Looking at their questioning faces he continued. "It's a utility droid built as a master slicer."

Bastila raised a brow. "And you just happened to have one of those on hand, Mandalorian."

"I don't, but Davik Kang does. I've done a few jobs for him, if you tell the manager at the store that I sent you. She'll give it to you."

Voren nodded. "Then let's do it."

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Dusk was about to fall over Taris soon, he imagined the team had regrouped at the abandoned apartment in the Upper city by now. Alex had gone of course half way there, he trusted that Canderous could properly motivate their newfound friends into getting the codes successfully. He probably should have stayed and made sure the infiltration of the Sith headquarters went on without any problems, but the power of the Sith was still an unknown factor, and he wasn't in the mood to measure himself against it yet. Most of the talk he heard during his time in the cantina where about the invasion and something called Rakghoul, hideous monsters with an appetite for flesh.

Naturally, he wanted to see these so-called monsters for himself. This was why he was riding the elevator down to the Under city. The Sith troopers guarding the elevator, like the republic soldiers, warned him not to go down there. But they made no actions to actually stop him, a wise move. The elevator doors opened with a low hiss and the first thing he saw was a mechanical wilderness and a small camp up ahead.

"What a shit hole." Alex wrinkled his nose. "And I thought the Lower City smelled bad."

"You there! Up-worlder! You have to pay a toll for using this elevator!"

Alex felt shock. Did just a dirty, scrawny-looking kid try to shake _him_ down for credits?

Seconds later another equally malnourished kid joined his friend.

"Yeah, if you use our elevator you have to give us something!"

_Oh I'm going to give you something alright._ Alex was about to give them the beating of a lifetime, but before he could the kids were chased away by a brown-haired woman. Alex thought she was an improvement from those kids, but not by much.

"My name is Shaleena… you're from the up-world, aren't you?" She looked up and exhaled. "I've never seen it. Is it beautiful?"

"Well I can tell you right now it's better than this dump." Seeing her shocked expression he added. "No offence."

"C…Could you tell me about it?"

"I don't have time for this. But my blue little stalker hiding behind those crates might."

A low yelp could be heard and the rustle of someone standing up. A second later the head of Mission Vao peeked over the edge; with her cover blown she joined the pair.

Putting her hands on her hip, she asked. "How did you know?"

"It's impossible to sneak up on me."

He gave them both a long hard stare before walking towards the camp, Mission hurried after him.

"So why are you down here? Not many people would willingly go to the Under city."

Alex shrugged. "I wanted to see one of these Rakghouls for myself. Why are you here?"

"Well I knew Voren wouldn't pick me for the next step, so I thought I would come down here and find the serum for the Rakghoul plague."

"There's a cure?"

"Yeah, problem is only Sith troopers have them when patrolling down here."

Alex nodded. "I imagine one of these vials can fetch a hefty price to the right buyer."

"No! We're not going to sell it. There's a guy in the Upper City who can make more."

"So you want to play hero and save everyone from the big bad monsters."

Mission frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

Alex thought about it. Selling the cure would give him a lot of credits, but he didn't actually need any. On the other hand, he didn't need a bunch of cured lowlife's either.

"I suppose being a hero have its advantages, if you're in to that sort of thing. So I'll help you find the serum."

Mission smiled. "Really! That's great, let's search this area first. Follow me."

Seeing Mission run ahead full with joy and willingness to help people reminded him of Dana, before she became a manipulative, narcissistic journalist. But he supposed being disrespectful, foul-mouthed, and not afraid of a fight would serve you better in life than being an altruist. Alex wasn't in the mood for memories from ancient times, so he forced them from his mind and followed his young guide in silence.

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He stood behind one of the many metal pipes found in the Under city. The slurp of mud could be heard as the Outcast children sped past, playing with what little energy they still had. Stagnant air filled the area along with putrefaction. Like every abandoned and forgotten camp in the galaxy, the place reeked of despair. A moan of pain from the prison cell on the right caught his attention; the latest victims of the Rakghouls would have a tough evening. He watched them and put what he saw to memory, one-act of carelessness and that fate could be his.

An exercise of will caused his goggles to filter out the darkness in the background, and the details around him became more defined. The Exchange had a problem, and he was the solution. The Exchange wanted the addicts on Taris freed of their reliance on their competitor's spice so they could only get hooked up on their own spice. In truth he found it surprising that The Exchange had taken this long to sort it out. Whoever had orchestrated this was cunning indeed.

With the press of a button the view of the camp in his right window disappeared, replaced with a vidscreen that showed the same news footage that every vidscreen and holovid in the galaxy must have shown at some point. A story of the war effort against the Sith. A human female, he knew she was a senator from Alderaan but could not recall her name, was giving an interview. She looked stern, upright as she spoke. With the ever-increasing Sith forces, the senator think that the Republic needed more funding in order to combat the Sith threat efficiently. He did not care how the war between the Republic and the Empire went, so long as he could exploit the tension between them and make some credits.

He was moving up in the galaxy. If he could deal with this problem, the Exchange would compensate him well. And who knew? Maybe this job would open up the opportunities of a lifetime. He alternated his attention between the news and the Outcast's camp until he saw what he was waiting for. He powered off the inbuilt vidscreen and readied his two Mandalorian heavy blasters. Lingering among the pipes, he watched as his target moved through the camp nonchalant. He noted the lack of any visible firearms. He suspected the target was skilled in hand-to-hand combat and fast enough to close the distance.

He reached into his pack and took out several spherical devices. He ordinarily preferred to use more conventional means, but this job needed to be done by any cost.

Ready, he waited.

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Au

Short, I know. Next chapter will be longer, that I promise.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Incompetence.

Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith, was surrounded by it as he watched the ecumenopolis that was Taris through the front viewport. His flagship, _The Leviathan_, had been orbiting the planet for days now waiting for results. He had lost count how many times the incompetence of his subordinates had cost him an objective. The search for Jedi Knight Bastila Shan should have been over long ago, he should have gotten her onboard _The Endar Spire_.

Incompetence.

He had even put his own apprentice on the task, but his chosen hand failed to contain the Jedi. He never chose his apprentice because he had great potential and strength. He chose him for his natural hatred for everything living, just a tool to enforce his will until a more suitable candidate could be acquired. Jedi Bastila was that candidate, with her battle meditation at his side, he would be invincible. Although the conquest of the Republic did not count on her, she would merely smooth the transition.

"Lord Malak, you summoned me?" Darth Bandon knelt before his master.

"The search for Bastila is taking too long." Malak crossed his arms. "Order the evacuation of all key personnel."

"My lord? How will we find the Jedi without our troops?"

_Incompetence_. "You would do well apprentice, to not question my orders after your failure onboard the _Endar Spire_."

"Of course my Lord. It will be done immediately."

The bald apprentice stood and left the bridge, while Malak kept staring at Taris. If he couldn't have her then neither can the Jedi Order. It would be preferable if she perished on this disgusting world.

Soon all of Taris would know pain and despair; it would be a fitting message to all who would stand against him.

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The building came into view, a dome of transparisteel with a tower atop its center aimed like a knife at the sky. Most of the few windows visible were dark. Voren saw no Imperial guards stationed at the massive blast door guarding the Tarisian military base. He could hear heavy footsteps on his right; the way the Mandalorian held himself gave a feeling of alertness. However, the sound from his left was fundamentally different. It was the subtlety and elegance of a Jedi. Interestingly enough, it was hard to get a sense of Carth.

The Twi'lek clerk in the droid shop had not been keen on giving them the droid they required, namely T3-M4. Voren figured it would have taken him several months of work to even reach half off what she was asking. But as soon as she saw the graying black hair and the steel-gray eyes of a heavily armed Mandalorian, the droid was theirs with an 80% discount. Canderous's infamous reputation on Taris would come in handy if they got in more trouble, and for some reason Voren knew they would.

The T3-series was originally designed for repair and general maintenance duties onboard starships. It possessed four-wheeled legs, where the two in front were attached to the droid's blocky chassis by rotating joints. It was outfitted with one large photoreceptor on its toroidal head along with two secondary ones, a broadcast antenna and a vocabulator which allowed the droid to communicate in droidspeak.

"_Beep-beep-boop-beep_"

"Yes, I'm glad you got out of that shop too."

Strange, he answered the droid without thinking. Voren thought back and couldn't find a memory where he actually learned droidspeak.

_I must have hit my head harder than I thought in the crash._

Voren checked his equipment, first the blaster than the vibroblade, and found no faults. He and Canderous would lay down cover fire and try to take down their enemies from afar, while Bastila's main advantage were close-combat due to her double-bladed lightsaber. He was confident they could pull this off. A Jedi, a Mandalorian and a Republic soldier made a hell of a strong team. A few seconds later, the team stood in front of the large blast doors shielding the military base.

"Are you sure T3-M4 can get us in?"

Canderous grunted. "Of course."

Voren looked at the droid. "Well little buddy, work your magic."

He wasn't disappointed; the doors opened to reveal an elevator.

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Boredom.

It usually was the source of all of Alex's mishaps. The source that forced him to do things others would consider stupid or insane. He had followed the little blue child for a while now and he imagined how it began to crawl up his spine, trying to reach his brain and force him into action. He really needed a distraction, the kind were you get interrupted by a ravaging monster and forcing you to fight for your life kind of distraction.

So far all he had seen was mud and metal pipes, he found neither interesting. The only reason why he hadn't simply begun to destroy things so the creatures would come to him was because of Mission's constant chatter. If this continued for another half-hour, she would have told him her life story by then. While he found it mildly amusing to hear about Zaalbar ripping the arm off some guy, and how she survived in this dump, it could only distract him for so long.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alex spotted something shining. Walking over, he saw the source. A dead Sith trooper. He crouched down and inspected the man's wounds, it was a fresh kill. Reaching into the man's pockets, Alex pulled out two cylinder-formed vials containing a green bubbling liquid.

"Did you find anything?" Mission asked.

Standing up, Alex held one of the vials between his thump and his index finger.

Alex smiled. "I found a vial."

Mission grinned and walked towards him. Finally she had a vial containing the Rakghoul serum, with this they could mass-produce the serum and treat everyone in the city. It was impossible to save someone who had already turned, but if you were infected this serum could cure you completely. Looking at the 'creepy dude' she felt something was wrong. His smile had disappeared completely and he was sprinting towards her.

Turning around slowly, she felt her heart stop. A Rakghoul was just a few meters away, charging straight for her. Mission tried to reach for her blaster. She pulled it upwards frantically but it didn't move, still secure in its holster.

_Damn it!_ She unfastened the holster but it was too late. The Rakghoul was upon her, realizing this was the end she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds passed.

She felt no pain course through her body. She felt nothing as the creature sent her body flying into the ground and begun to feed. Had the creature killed her so fast she didn't feel anything?

Mission opened her eyes slowly. Instead of looking down on her mutilated body as she expected, she saw Alex standing on top of the creature in a crouched position and she was still standing in the same spot. Letting out a breath, Mission fell to her knees. Before she couldn't feel her own heartbeat but now it was literally pounding in her chest, blocking out all other sound.

Taking a firm grip on the creature's throat, Alex lifted it up slightly above eye level. The creature screeched and dug its claws deep into his arm, trying with all of its might to feed.

_How can one of the Infected be here?_

On closer inspection, the creature was similar to a Hunter but lacked size and strength. If it were one of the Infected, he should have been able to sense the creature. Alex performed one last test to be sure, shifting the cells in his eyes; he observed the creature through what he called 'Infected Vision'. There was nothing of 'him' inside the creature.

"Don't let it bite you!"

Alex nodded; he'd heard the bite was the cause of the spread. But he could feel it coursing through him, trying with all of its might to change him; Alex found it interesting, the claws themselves also passed along the disease. One scratch was all it took to become a mindless beast. His body was already analyzing and combating the disease, he calculated it would only take a few minutes to rid himself of the foreign infection. Alex felt the urge to study the creature more, but the experiments he had in mind were not suited with an audience.

Alex twisted his wrist, and the Rakghoul's body hit the ground with a thud.

Mission stood up on shaky legs. "Thank you!"

"You owe me now for saving your life." Alex said and threw her the vial he had shown her earlier.

Mission nodded. "I don't know how I could be this careless. I've never let a Rakghoul sneak up on me before."

"They are crafty little insects."

"I really don't want to be on this planet anymore."

Alex shrugged. "It's not so bad just needs a little pest control. Could smell a bit better though."

"We should probably get back to the others."

Alex nodded and began to retrace their steps back to the Outcast's camp. He had set out to observe the Rakghouls with excitement, the possibility that an offshoot of him existed in the galaxy piqued his interest. If it were true then a lot of questions needed to be answered. Questions like: How did someone get a portion of him and how did they move it to another planet without his knowing? Sadly he would never get answers to those questions; the Rakghouls don't even have a single cell linked to the Blackwatch strain.

In a way it was a good thing, he really didn't need another Manhattan Incident on his hands, yet anyway.

Click.

Alex looked down and back up again. "Oh crap."

The explosion shook the ground; making piles of mud fly in every direction and filled the area with grey smoke. The blast wave forced Mission to the ground and she stood up on shaky legs.

She felt a sensation of dizziness as she yelled. "Creepy guy!"

"He's not alive anymore." The sound of the monotone voice originated above from her right side.

A figure wearing a blue coat over black armorweave, and black pants jumped down and landed a few meters away from her. The lenses of the man's goggles shifted and the man reached for two heavy blasters. Mission knew right away who he was; he was probably the most famous bounty hunter in this part of the galaxy. It was said that no target ever got away from him and that he was willing to take on any job for the right price.

Mission narrowed her eyes. "Calo Nord."

"It seems my reputation precedes me."

He neared her with loose movements and raised his blaster. "I wasn't paid to kill you but I never leave any witnesses."

Years of bounty hunting had given him sharp reflexes and a firm mind, and it was the only thing that saved him from losing an arm. A large whip-like appendage crashed into where he had just stood, forming a large straight hole on the ground.

Several loud claps originated from inside the smoke. "Very good, I didn't think you would dodge that."

As the smoke died down, the form of Alex became visible. Grinning he took several steps forward and was now standing between Mission and their assailant.

"How did you survive? That blast was powerful enough to cripple a small rancor."

Alex grinned. "That was your first mistake, comparing me to a mere beast."

He glanced at Mission. "Stand back, I'll handle this."

"But I can fight!"

"I don't think the others would appreciate it if I got you killed. Besides, you owe me and I plan to collect one day."

Mission shook her head. "Fine, I'll find cover."

Alex was careful enough to stand directly in the way until she ducked under a safe place, he wouldn't put it past the bounty hunter to try and get a cheap shot in. Now with just the two of them, they began to circle each other.

"I was wondering you're what… 1.4 or 1.5 meters long. Are you a dwarf?"

The only thing that betrayed Calo's emotions were a slight twitch of his right cheek.

"I am not a dwarf!"

Alex grinned. "No? A midget then, I suppose mommy didn't give you enough milk and cookies as a child."

Calo's jaw clenched. "Killing you will be so enjoyable."

Several red beams sprung forth from the two custom-made Mandalorian heavy blasters, Alex shifted to the right and dodged. The most common weapons in the galaxy were guns firing particle beam energy, and while it was more powerful than a gun from back on earth, its fire-rate and travel-speed was slower. Even without his super everything he could dodge the incoming blaster fire. Alex kept on the defensive and continued to dodge the incoming bolts.

Dodging to the side ones more, Alex picked up several rocks in one motion and began to attack. He knew the rocks wouldn't be able to breach Calo's armorweave, but it would still hurt. This continued for a minute or so before Alex stopped in his tracks.

Calo sneered. "Is dodging all you can do?"

"Not at all. Figured you had more of those mines buried. I just wasn't too keen on getting blown up again." Alex took several steps forward. "But from observing you I now know where they are."

One small twitch of his left leg was all he needed launch himself through the air towards Calo, he brushed away the small pain he felt from getting hit a couple of times on his upper-body and struck at Calo with a straight punch. But instead of hitting him in the jaw as he wanted, the punch connected with Calo's left hand. The force of the impact shattered the blaster along with the larger part of Calo's hand.

Ignoring the pain, Calo realized he wouldn't be quick enough to get off a shot in this position with his remaining blaster without it getting blocked. Instead he changed his stance slightly, raised his knee until it was parallel to the ground and then snapped it forward. A perfectly executed frontal kick connected with Alex's lower abdomen, but instead of creating more space between them and giving Calo a greater advantage. He found himself rooted in place.

The shock caused him to hesitate with his follow-up attack and he felt a powerful grip on his extended leg, the pressure was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The armorweave reinforced leggings he wore did little to help with the applied force.

Calo grunted, if the pressure continued his leg would snap.

Alex chuckled. "Did you really think that would work? I weigh over a ton; your midget legs couldn't even force me to move an inch."

He pulled his right arm back and ones more performed a straight punch, connecting with Calo's chest. The force of the blow forced Calo's body backwards through the air and he landed several meters back.

He did not move.

A few seconds passed before Mission came out of her hiding place. "Is he dead?"

"Well he isn't moving. That's usually a sign." Alex sighed. "And another thing I'm Alex. So stop calling me creepy guy."

Mission nodded. "But you are kind of creepy; anyway we really should meet up with the others."

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The doors to the apartment snapped open with a hiss, Mission rushed through the entrance with a mildly bored Alex in tow. She was full of eager to tell Big Z about what happened down in the Under City. Alex observed the room, everything seemed ordinary. Two beds to the right, a table in the middle, a little droid beside it, a giant carpet in one of the chairs, and two beds to the left.

_Oh great,_ he thought. _Stuck with a walking carpet I can't understand, a droid that looks like it would explode if I even touched it, and a child._

Mission activated her comlink. "Uh guys, where are you?"

A few seconds of static went by. "_We're… base… rende… ship…"_

"That sounded like Canderous." Alex pointed out.

Mission nodded. "It seems they're blocking our signal and something about a ship."

"Probably wants us to rendezvous at my ship." Alex made a follow-me motion. "Come on, it's in the Middle City."

The Tarisian spaceport, usually full of movement and sound, was dead as night. When the Sith quarantine came into effect they had every spaceport employee removed, and they didn't bother to replace them. Alex appreciated their sacrifice; they did after all save him a lot of time. The lightning system was off so he led the team through the main area along with T3-M4, the droids photoreceptors scanned for any sign of movement. He doubted they would meet anyone but it didn't hurt to be careful.

He guided them down a passage and around the corner. There it was still in one piece, his retrofitted ship. With a press on the activation console hanging from his belt, the ship hummed. Alex felt relief; the device had suffered some damage when that mine went off but it still functioned enough to activate the walkway. Alex slumped down into the captain's seat and ran a quick diagnostic before activating all systems, now all they could do was wait for the codes.

The ship shook, gently at first, and then it increased in intensity. Through the frontal viewport Alex could see how large cracks began to form on the durasteel building. He knew exactly what happened as a large chunk of the roof fell down in front of the ship.

"Mission! Tell them to hurry up, Malak is bombing the planet!"

He'd never believed in luck, if such a concept existed then he was of the mind that you created your own. But his belief in that philosophy was shaken as more and more chunks of the building continued to fall without hitting the ship. Only minor debris hit the hull of the ship, causing minimal or nonexistent damage. If there were some supernatural force controlling luck, then he must have been a good virus lately.

"Ten seconds. I'll give them ten seconds then I leave."

He knew it was betrayal, but he didn't care. Alex had already experienced being buried alive for god knows how many thousand years, and he refused to experience it again when he just had begun to explore this marvelous galaxy.

_Three._

It wasn't really his fault that they couldn't get here in time, so they couldn't blame him for wanting to live.

_Two._

It was their own fault; their own incompetence led them to this.

_One._

His index finger was two inches from closing the walkway when the screen to the left picked up four life forms entering the hangar bay. Alex didn't breathe, but if he did he would have let out a huge breath. Now he didn't have to explain to the rest of the team why he almost let half of the team die in the bombardment. The screen blinked, indicating the life forms had entered the ship, and Alex closed the walkway and engaged the engines.

Voren came running and handed him a small datachip. "That's the codes."

Alex inserted the chip into the main computer and steered the ship out of the hangar doors. He pushed the sublight engines to the max while dodging the incoming fire from the three Sith Interdictor cruisers. A heavily breathing Canderous stood behind them, leaning against the wall.

Alex glanced back. "Your sweating like you got mace in your face. Maybe you should lay off the whiskey and go for a jog once in a while."

"Ah screw you asshole!" Canderous tried to control his breathing.

Voren shook his head. "Just focus on getting us out of here alive would you!"

Alex nodded and observed the incoming fire. The Sith were firing all over the city destroying building after building. Alex figured they didn't want someone to leave the planet, but by the spread they obviously didn't know where said person was. The ships sensors alerted him to a new presence, another vessel was trying to leave the planet. The ship had no ID-signature, which meant it was a covert vessel or affiliated with criminals. Alex opted for the latter, it was unlikely the republic had managed to land a ship without the Sith knowing.

Canderous observed the new vessel through the viewport. "That's the Ebon Hawk. Davik Kang's private vessel."

"So the boss of a vast criminal organization manages to escape? Figures." Alex observed all members on the bridge. "So where are we going?"

"We need to go to Datooine." Bastila announced. "There's a Jedi Enclave there where we can find refuge."

The atmosphere felt by all members on the ship was of relief as the ship entered hyperspace.

Alex observed the main computer. "It will take several hours before we arrive."

Bastila furrowed her brow and nodded, then quickly left the bridge. Noticing her expression, Voren followed her into the holocom area.

"What's wrong?"

"There's something very wrong with that man."

"You mean the pilot?"

"I didn't notice at first, probably because of wearing that neural disruptor for too long." Bastila crossed her arms. "But even though I can see him with my own two eyes, through the force there's simply nothing there. Almost like a… void, completely bereft of the force."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. I've never experienced something like this before." Bastila tilted her head to the side. "I need to consult the Jedi Council."

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Au

Never thought it would take eight chapters to get here. I didn't write out the Taris Military Base infiltration simply because it happens exactly as in the game.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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"_Run, sir!"_

_And run he did._

_His guard's dying words whipped him into action. The image of his gruesome murder still burning in his mind, military officer Grayson reeled and charged through the windowed door. Ignoring the cuts scraping his face and covered his overall, he blindly forced himself into the first passage. _

_Powerful hands grabbed him from behind. Grunting with effort, Grayson shoved back, struggling to get free. He felt the pressure diminish for a second, but not enough to get escape. The hands attempted to haul him back into the parking lot; Grayson jerked forward and violently shoved back again, his elbow connected with something hard… something that gave away with a wet crunching sound and his attacker let out a grunt of anger and pain._

_The hands loosened, and he glanced back as his body leaped forward. His attacker straightened and let out a howl, several more human figures stumbled through the broken door, their dark silhouettes blocked what little light had slipped through the small passage. Grayson gasped, launching himself into the darkness beyond. The building had sustained heavy damage early in the war, making it difficult to navigate. _

_He had no idea where he was going, only that he had to get away. He stumbled over some debris, cutting himself as he tried to cushion the fall, leaving a blood trial as he stepped over the dusty and hard concrete. Grayson squeezed through a narrow opening and he could hear the creatures closing in by their grunting and moaning getting louder. He reached down and opened a side-pocket; feeling two packs of C4. He pressed the rectangular-shaped compound in the opening and inserted the blasting caps, before continuing to a safe distance, taking cover. The few seconds of waiting felt as an eternity, when the creatures finally reached the passage, he pressed the button._

_The explosion shook the building and filled the area with smoke. Coughing, Grayson glanced back trying to see through the cloud of dust and smoke. _

_He let out a sigh of relief._

_The passageway was blocked and he was safe, for now._

_Grayson continued further inside the building and found a secluded room with only two openings, the entrance and a window. Grayson slid down against the wall and began cleaning his wound. Images kept whirling through his mind. An hour ago, he had been perfectly safe with a full military escort, fully convinced he would deliver the codes in the data disk without incident. They had taken every precaution, only four people in the entire country had known about their traveling route and their cargo, and still the enemy knew about it. That was the greatest concern of the higher-ups; the enemy always seemed to know what their next course of action would be. At first, only minor patrols had been compromised, then gradually expanding effectively inserting the seed of doubt. How can their soldiers fight at their best when theirs doubt hovering over every general in the military?_

_From far off came a muffled cry of his pursuers. Grayson sat there in the darkness, holding his wounded hand. He jerked his head towards the window as glass blasted inside the room. Two infected citizens, the bulk of Mercer's army, had found him. The window was high enough to buy him some time before they could get in. He snapped his neck back and forth as he heard a loud cry outside the door, the infected pounced and tried to claw their way in. _

_He felt beads of sweat trickling down his face and his heart racing, near-exploding the noise stopped. No sound escaped from behind the door opposite to him and the infected by the window had disappeared. Did they give up? No, he knew the intelligence of the infected was extremely limited, incapable of forming tactics and would pursue their victims while ignoring everything else. _

_A low thud was all the warning he got as the door flew off its hinges, nearly crushing him. His eyes found the open space, greeted by a silhouette of grey and black. He stared at the creature's face, where the glow of its eyes is visible even in the darkness. The being stepped into the room with inhuman movements, not letting its gaze fall as it stopped, silently observing the mixture of feelings on its prey's face. _

_Grayson stood up against the wall. "Mercer."_

_The being in front of him tilted its head slightly behind its hood. The small act revealed parts of its face, completely devoid of human emotion. _

"_Give it to me." _

_The virus spoke with a monotone voice, causing a chill to go down Grayson's spine. The creature extended its arm and kept it level with stillness impossible for a human to achieve. Grayson reached inside his jacket, pulling out a small device from his inner pocket. _

_A single thought passed through his mind and he dropped it down on the floor, picking up a piece of concrete and smashing the device with all of his might._

_He let out a breath. _

"_There, you've failed." He let the chunk of concrete drop from his hands. "You might as well kill me now."_

_Mercer walked towards him as a predator ready to launch itself against its prey. _

"_You've stopped nothing. I will find another way."_

_He could hear the man's breath bursting in and out as he extended his hand, several tendrils sprung forth as he did._

"_Don't worry, you'll live… in me."_

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Alex fiddled with the container, inspecting the green bubbling liquid inside. With the destruction of Taris, this was one of the two only surviving vials of the serum. He gave the other to Mission when there was still a chance to rid Taris of the small abominations called Rakghoul, with the Sith bombardment he doubted any of the creatures survived. His interest in the Rakghoul's is purely scientific, to learn how and why the virus behaves as it does, and how the cure counters the infection. Alex felt annoyed he didn't consume the creature when he had the chance. Sure, the little blue Twi'lek might have thrown a fit and told the others. He doubted they would have taken it as well as his Mandalorian… friend, but in hindsight it would have been a small price to pay to settle his curiosity.

His mood took a turn for the worse; they were on their way to Dantooine. The planet itself was covered by forests of spiky blab trees, which were short and thorny, and two moons floated above the savannahs of lavender and yellow grasses. The planet was also home to the native Dantari population, they were a muscular and well-built people who lived a simple life, wandering about the coastline in tribes. Alex had no visual memories of the Dantari, but he pictured them as cavemen.

Alex tilted his head to the side; it was too quite. He couldn't hear the constant hum of the engines nor any commotion on the vessel. Standing up, he walked across the room and put the vial down. The ship had larger rooms and naturally he would have taken the largest, but this one had other benefits such as a secret compartment. Closing the outer shell, Alex proceeded into the hallway. One quick look with enhanced vision, and he knew where he had to go. Coming through the entrance to the conference room, he spotted Canderous inspecting a datapad in one of the chairs.

"Where is everyone?"

Canderous didn't bother looking up. "Bastila and Voren ran overly quick to have a chat with the Jedi council."

"So we're here already, must have lost track of time." Alex slumped down in one of the empty chairs. "And why would Voren have to speak with them?"

"Heard Bastila say something about him being force-sensitive, she probably want the council to train him."

"Great, it's not like the galaxy needs another arrogant brat running around."

Canderous raised a brow. "You don't like Bastila very much, do you?"

"What gave it away?"

"I think it was when you plainly stated 'I hate her already' back on Taris." Canderous put the datapad down. "Probably was a good thing only I heard it."

Alex smiled. "I don't think so, might have been amusing to see me pummel her into the ground."

Canderous shook his head. "And you think she's arrogant."

"I can be arrogant because I've survived things no one else has. She was probably lucky to survive puberty."

"Ha!"

Alex smiled. "I'm going out."

The sight before him was not what he expected, a wide open space with three exits and barely any guards. It was no wonder why the Jedi were losing this war if security was this loose in all their strongholds. A familiar face came running up from across the area.

"What's the hurry?" Alex asked.

"Need my stuff, I've been chosen to be trained as a Jedi." Voren grinned. "It will probably take a few months but it's worth it."

"Right, good luck with that." Alex began to walk the same way he came.

"Where are you going?"

"Oh I'm sorry, did you think I would sit around here for a few months doing nothing?"

"I guess not."

"Right, so get your gear and go do Jedi stuff." Alex flashed a grin. "This ship takes off in three minutes. Give me a call if you ever need your ass saved again."

Alex walked through the hallway and stopped at the entrance to the conference room.

"Big news. I'm leaving, you in or out?"

Canderous frowned. "I don't know."

"Look, you can come with me, have some fun and kill a few things. Or you can stay here and hold Voren's hand while staring at the walls."

"Well, when you put it like that, I'm in."

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Au

Mercer's past is slowly unfolding, hope you liked it. So Canderous and Alex is alone for a while, what could those two possibly conjure up in a few months together? Wait and see. I couldn't find a source for how much time Revan actually spent training on Dantooine, so I went with a couple of months.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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The news report on the holoscreen flickered with a constant stream of images capturing the death and destruction Malak's attack had wrought upon Taris. Bodies of civilians and republic soldiers were strewn haphazardly about the streets as the sky rained red. Entire sections of the Upper City had been reduced to scorched, twisted metal. Melted, blackened chunks of debris that had once been part of the ecumenopolis that was Taris fell through the sky.

Zeus watched it all with cool, clinical detachment. The screen flickered one last time and the stream cut off. It was the last transmission sent before the planet was reduced to a smoldering heap. The repercussions of the attack went far beyond the widespread physical damage. In the weeks since the devastating Sith assault, the various media outlets across the galaxy had been dominated with the graphic and unthinkable images.

The attack had shaken the Republic to its core, stripping away the last pockets of resistance against the war inside the senate. Some senators even went so far as to propose a bill outlawing the Sith as a forbidden religion. Yet where others saw disaster, he saw opportunity. He knew, perhaps better than anyone, that the Republic's sudden awareness of its own vulnerability could benefit _his_ vision. That was why he was special; he was a being of vision, and capable of performing terrible deeds in the pursuit of a greater purpose.

Once Alex Mercer had been just like everybody else. He had marveled with the rest of Gentek when the Redlight virus was discovered in Hope, Idoha. He had watched in amazement as the virus took over its victim, turning and twisting after its own purpose. Back then he had been an average man, with an average life. He had friends and family.

All those things were gone now, stripped away by the necessity of his vision. He would become something more, abandoning and transcending his ordinary existence in pursuit of a greater goal. Humanity had walked the earth for countless millennia, and the only thing they had accomplished was engineering better ways to kill each other. The people of earth needed someone to guide them. They needed patriots and heroes willing to make the necessary sacrifices to elevate the human race into a better future, a future without war and suffering.

He would transform himself to guide humanity onto the right path. But before he could, he had been gunned down in Penn station. Alex Mercer had died, but his memories and wishes lived on in the being later known to the population as Zeus. It was his contingency plan; this being would be his instrument.

Zeus pressed repeat on the holoscreen. Once, he had been disturbed at the memories of his creation and the reason for his existence. Eventually after all the pain and betrayal, he had accepted it fully; back then it was up to him to save humanity. Just like it was up to him now to save the galaxy, from itself. He had given the galaxy a chance, to see if they were better than the people of earth. One look at galactic history taught him otherwise, war and suffering hadn't diminished, it had simply grown.

Right now there was no immediate concern, the war between the Sith and the Republic would have many more battles in the struggle for galactic dominance, and the destruction of Taris was just a small piece of the puzzle, and he would deal with them in their proper time.

His focus lay elsewhere. Project Genesis was about to take off, and it would begin on Coruscant.

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The rising sun peeked over the mountains on Dantooine, and the clouds looked to have caught fire. Trees groaned and the soughing wind bore the scent of wet grass. The blade of the lightsaber hissed through the air. Voren could not see its green gleam through his blindfold. He used the force to know precisely where it was, allowing him to duck when needed.

The heat of his opponent's lightsaber blade passed overhead, nearly burning him.

"Good." Master Zhar called from the sidelines. "Let your feelings guide you."

Voren listened intently for the sound of his opponent's lightsaber, for his breathing, for the scrape of boots against the ground. These sounds echoed quietly in the large, open area. Randomly placed holes on the ground added another element to take into consideration. He had to use the force to sense those too, with this much uneven ground, it was easy to lose your footing.

On the side, Zhar observed diligently. "Keep your guard up."

Voren raised his weapon and dived to his right as his opponent's lightsaber slammed into the ground beside him. He took a leap back, over one of the larger holes. Voren heard the hiss of the lightsaber increase as his opponent hastily executed a sequence, trying to get a hit in before irritation and fatigue took over.

Sweat trickled down underneath his blindfold, making his eyes sting. Voren blocked it out, along with the presence of his opponent and Master Zhar. He could imagine himself a full Jedi Knight, battling a creature… a humanoid with claws as long as Voren's underarm that could easily shred a human. In his mind, he saw the armored creature glare at him with glowing red eyes.

The vision energized him, and all of his fear and fatigue disappeared. Within a few moments, every muscle in his body was attuned to the force. It flowed through him, guiding his movements, and giving him speed and agility.

Voren raised his blade and blocked the next blow. The opponent's lightsaber whirled down. Voren leaped high, over his attacker's head, and thrust his blade horizontally where the creature's midsection would be.

"Aargh!" The other student howled in pain as Voren's blade struck his ribs. If they had used a Jedi lightsaber, it would have split him in two. But apprentices in the Enclave used training sabers set to low power. The blade burned on contact, a wound the healers might need to tend to.

"You were lucky!" The wounded apprentice shouted.

Until this moment, Voren hadn't known who he was fighting. He'd been led there blindfolded, now he recognized the voice. It belonged to Kaevee. Unlike Voren, she was one of the older apprentices in the Jedi Enclave. And like Voren, she also hoped to become a Jedi Knight.

"Kaevee," Zhar called calmly. "Don't remove your blindfold. A Jedi don't need his eyes to see."

But Voren still heard her blindfold fall to the ground. Kaevee's voice was filled with anger. "You'll pay for that!"

"You will calm yourself!" Zhar's voice rang across the area.

Every Jedi learner has his or her weakness. Like Voren, Kaevee also struggled to control her anger and fear. Training in the Enclave was not just about lightsaber techniques or the ability to use the Force; it was just as much about having the right character.

Kaevee struggled with her anger that could quickly turn into rage. In the short amount of time since he met her, he knew she usually kept it under control so that the Master's didn't witness it. Only on rare occasions did it bubble to the surface in their presence.

"No! Let's do it again." Kaevee said. "This time I'll show you what a training saber feels like."

"Kaevee, that's enough!" Zhar took a few steps forward. "Your anger is getting the better of you. A Jedi must learn to lose as well as win, go to your room and meditate on this."

Voren removed his blindfold and tried not to get sucked into the challenge. He would love to beat her again, to remove her high-and-mighty attitude. And it took all of his willpower not to respond as Kaevee stormed off.

"You did well, Voren." Zhar turned towards him. "You are progressing faster than I ever thought possible."

"Thank you, Master."

"But I could also feel your anger as I felt Keavee's. Why didn't you respond in kind?"

Voren shrugged. "I wanted to… I wanted to take her down a notch. But that wouldn't sate her anger or mine."

"Then you are learning. You can never fight anger with anger." Zhar smiled. "Always remember, you don't need to kill an enemy to defeat them. Extinguish the rage inside and he's no longer your enemy."

"I'll remember that."

Zhar nodded. "I think we're done for now, I'll see you later this afternoon to continue your training."

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Coruscant.

Home to over one trillion lifeforms. The bright center of the galaxy and seat of government for the numerous worlds belonging to the Republic. It was the epitome of higher-learning and culture, bringing in the collective wisdom of millions of different civilizations. One could only fully appreciate the enormous construction from orbit; the planet had long ago been turned into one giant multi-tiered metropolis that made Taris pale in comparison.

The Coruscanti skyscrapers even dwarfed all the original natural features, including mountains, as well as the ocean floors which ones covered large parts of the surface. These gigantic skyscrapers could be found along the equator and were a sight to behold, some even extending high enough to pierce the upper fringes of atmosphere. The shorter structures could be found everywhere on the globe.

Jonathan, Jon to his friends, sat patiently in silence beside his team in one such building. It was a newly acquired office-building, and housed the company's twice-weekly meetings in the two-hundredth floor boardroom. He observed quietly the various hand-movements the people opposite to him made over the various datapads lying on the table. The negotiations had proceeded slowly for months, but this time he was sure they would accept. The main contract included several sub-contracts, totaling in a one-billion credits deal.

The Gossam government wanted to renovate and expand one of the larger areas of their capital city Castell. Jon, through careful negotiations had been able to convince them of not only using their mineral-recourses, but also their workforce. It was the largest and most lucrative deal in the company's history, if they accepted.

Shu Miin, the female Gossam in charge of the negotiations, finally nodded to her aides and put her signature on the datapads before meeting Jon in a handshake.

"We'll expect work to begin in two months time."

Jon nodded. "I assure you, there will be no delays."

"Good, then our business here is concluded."

Jon's right hand-man practically bounced around the room as she and her entourage left and the doors closed.

"We have to celebrate this!" The man said as he engulfed Jon in a hug and lifted him up.

"I have some things to finish up first, how about I meet you at the Outlander Club in an hour?"

The man smiled. "And not a second later."

Jon quickly gathered up the datapads and left for his office, he still needed to make copies of the contract and let his father know of his success. He had done something none of his predecessors could, and he knew his father would be proud. Jon burst through the doors and entered his dark office, immediately going to the records room and filing the data.

"I've been waiting for you."

Jon jerked to his right, scanning the room for the source. Nothing was out of the ordinary in the office, until the lights above the desk flickered on with a low hum, revealing a hooded figure. He saw the figure observe him carefully for a few seconds, the stare felt strangely inhuman.

"Who are you?" His tone made sure it was a demand and not a question.

The figure pushed up out of the chair and walked in front of the desk. Jon still couldn't see the man's face under the hood, only the lower part was visible in the light.

"We have a mutual acquaintance, a good-looking blonde creature and… Barry."

Jon let out a breath. "So you know Tiri? Did she make it off Taris?"

"As far as I know, she was still on the planet when Malak opened fire."

Jon nodded. "So she really is dead."

"I'm afraid so. I thought I'd bring the bad news and talk to you about a great new idea I have for your corporation."

Jon narrowed his eyes. "Look, the only reason I haven't thrown you out yet is because you're a friend of Tiri. InterGalactic Ore has been in my family for generations, and nobody is going to tell me how to run **my** company."

"I apologize." The figure walked up to Jon and extended his arm. "No harm done?"

Jon hesitated for a moment, and then shook the man's hand. Upon contact, several appendages sprung forth from the man's arm and latched on to his arm. Jon cradled his arm in pain as he fell to the ground.

"What the hell did you do to me?"

"You are evolving. Transcending to a higher form of existence, you should be grateful."

There was no way he could explain what was happening as the pain slowly moved its way further up his arm and into his chest, causing his whole body to convulse. He no longer could feel his arm or control its actions; his body shook one last time before everything went dark.

He opened his eyes slowly, and he felt… great, better than he ever had actually. The pain that was slowly killing him was gone, replaced with strength he never thought possible. Standing up with easy never experienced, he observed the hooded figure in front of him.

"I feel powerful, like I could do almost anything."

"You have been chosen. We will do great things together."

Jon nodded. "Yes, I've been chosen. Chosen to serve you, lord?"

"I am Zeus." Zeus walked towards the empty chair. "Take a seat; let's discuss the future of InterGalactic Ore, and about Project Genesis."

It was close to midnight when he returned to the ship, Alex found his Mandalorian shipmate sitting in the conference room. Canderous put down the newly cleaned rifle on the table and nodded towards him.

"So what have you been up to?" Alex asked.

"Went through our munitions, checked the ship's systems and cleaned my rifle."

"Wow, you live such an exciting life. Can we switch?"

Canderous grunted. "It's not like you would do it. Anyway, where did you run off too?"

Alex shrugged. "Just broke in to a corporate facility and converted one of the workers into my way of thinking."

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine."

Alex smiled. "That's what I like about you, Canderous. You can always tell when I lie."

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Au

I always thought it strange how almost all the Evolved in the game was former enemies of Mercer. So my take on the Evolved is that they all have their own individuality, but the infection makes them predisposed towards wanting to please Mercer. Also, Mercer has some very ambitious plans. But don't worry, he will still help with the star maps.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Jon Fevrau didn't simply keep a penthouse on Coruscant; InterGalactic Ore now owned an entire building. It wasn't as grand as 500 Republica, but Kaldani Spires was the most desired address outside the Senate District. The majestic building towered over Monument Plaza, and from its uppermost suites one could see the peaks of the Manarai Mountains, Coruscant's only naked rock still left alone. It was a neighborhood for neither politicians nor celebrities. The district belonged to old-money citizens, financiers, industrialists, bankers and corporate chiefs.

The residence took up the whole of the Kaldani's summit. Zeus had 'suggested' he acquire the building; it would serve as their foothold on the planet and as a base of operations for the future. He had yet to experience the building himself since acquiring it, and he could not deny the excitement he felt of seeing its interior for the first time. The building had been overpriced and taken a large chunk out of InterGalactic Ore's resources, but worth it in the mind of his mentor.

A pair of Sentinel droids rode with Jon in the turbolift, recognizable for their human shape and their sterile white armor, only to surrender him to another pair stationed in the penthouse's light filled atrium. From there he was escorted to the study, which was darkened by tall, brocade curtains and filled with masterpieces of art. The statues and paintings were of beings and places he had never seen before, nevertheless they captured his interest. The hooded figure himself rose from an armchair to greet him as he was shown into the room.

"My Lord," Jon said, bowing his head.

"Welcome, I hope you've become accustomed to your new abilities by now?"

"I have." Indeed, the increase in speed and reflexes was truly amazing. But what he liked the most was the enhanced strength, now capable of lifting weights previously unthinkable. Then of course there was the ability to transform his arms into deadly claws and blades, not to mention the added bonus of immortality.

The two moved to a sunken area of the room and sat across from each other. Zeus filled two glasses with wine and passed one to his guest, Jon knew Zeus was only waiting for him to begin his report, but if he had learned only one thing from all their meetings, it would be that the being in front of him possessed inhuman patience. It was not something one could learn, it was the patience of someone who had seen and experienced all there was. He briefly wondered if he too would be the same eventually.

"As per your request I have compiled a list of possible candidates." Jon said, and passed a datapad across the table.

Zeus nodded as he scanned the list.

"The Wookie?"

"He's called Hanharr, a bounty hunter. Has a reputation of being a ruthless hunter and a brutal sociopath, has been in the employ of Vogga the Hutt for some time now."

"Next is J'ane Khan, a human assassin." Jon sipped carefully on the wine. "Famous for his deadly poison blade and rumored to be on Tatooine as of now."

Zeus continued to read the entries for a couple of minutes before stopping and pointing at a specific name.

"This one."

Jon observed the name before standing up. "A good choice my Lord, I'll contact you when it's done."

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Shae Vizla leveled her blaster and sighted up.

"Don't run." She said. "You'll only get tired."

Her voice rasped through an amplifier, it allowed her to be heard without ever needing to shout. Her target, a human drug dealer called Janos Doah, had obliged her by running through every maze-like circle in the depths of the Fallen Throne, the capital city of Fallen, and did now find himself in a closed alley.

"Dead or alive," Shae reminded him. The thermal imager of her blaster optics showed a large amount of radiating heat under a pile of discarded packing cases.

"Dead's easier, so come on now. I don't have all day."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Janos said with a shaking voice. "What have I ever done to you?"

"To me? Nothing. But the Hutts don't like the competition."

Shae never felt particularly good or bad about her line of work, it was filled with excitement and she got a lot of adventure, not to mention the pay. But today she felt noticeably better than she had in a long time, for reasons she could not explain it felt as if the future held something very positive and all she had to do is grasp the opportunity.

The alley was twenty meters wide and stretched twenty-five meters ahead of her, with her back against the only exit, there were just a couple of boxes in front with a terrified human in it. With the push of a button she began a scan for weapons, the helmets HUD showed that Janos had a blaster that wouldn't trouble her. She walked carefully towards the shivering crates.

"Last chance, come out now." Shae said, alternating her view between the alley and the chrono in her HUD.

"You are the worst kind of scum there is." The insult had much weight coming from a drug dealer. "I only sell a product, why don't you go after real criminals?"

"Because Vogga want to make an example out of you. Are you coming or not?"

The cases rustled, Janos did not emerge.

Shae shrugged. "Fine, have it your way."

She raised her blaster and concentrated on the thermal-imaging target, holding her breath as she had done so many times before and squeezed. Janos hit the ground with a thud, and she couldn't help feel a bit annoyed. It would be much more troublesome to transport him back to Vogga now.

Getting back to her ship had been surprisingly easy considering she carried a dead body on her shoulder, but in these parts no one cared, and if they did they didn't have the courage to do anything about it anyway. She had all but sat down in the cockpit before a blinking blue light entered her vision to the right; someone was calling her via the holocommunicator.

Accepting the call, a blue silhouette of an average looking human male appeared.

"Greetings Bounty Hunter, I have need of your services."

"I'm listening."

"I need a Sith research facility destroyed."

"For that I'd have to get inside the facility, it would be heavily guarded not to mention deadly."

The silhouette shook briefly. "Perhaps your reputation has been exaggerated."

"You wouldn't have contacted me if that was the case. Anything else?"

"No survivors."

Shae nodded. "Triple my usual fee and you've got a deal."

"Your price is acceptable. I'll send you the necessary data."

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She had never felt comfortable staying in one place for too long; on Taris it was easy to escape the dread of boredom. Simply walk in one direction long enough and you'd find something interesting to see. The group's movements had been limited by the Jedi towards the insides of the enclave. Within the restricted space of the enclave Mission felt trapped. She didn't feel ungrateful, the safety was a nice change, but she simply couldn't stay cooped-up in this place for much longer.

To Mission, the Jedi had always been odd. But it wasn't something she was about to utter in this place, it had been several weeks since she had seen Bastila or Voren. The man had left to start his training for becoming a Jedi Knight. And until he returned she had to occupy herself somehow, and sneaking up unaware Jedi with a stealth field generator was more fun than she first thought. It had been particularly fun to follow this Jedi called Belaya; almost all she did had something to do with a female Cathar Jedi called Juhani.

She had discovered, by practice, that Jedi could only discover someone with a stealth-generator if they actively scanned the area. Inside the comfort of the Enclave that rarely happened, which was why she was currently sneaking through the various corridors, searching for someone interesting to follow. She didn't feel overly concerned with getting caught; she already had a perfectly reasonable excuse ready just in case.

Mission slipped through the corridors towards the open area by the entrance, noticing Belaya standing in the corner as usual as she continued through the opening on the other side. Through her exploration she had been to almost every part of the compound except for one place, the council chambers.

The small console by the door wouldn't let her in, and hacking it was harder than she first thought. A low hum escaped the door, and she pressed herself firmly against the wall.

"… not ready. You know what happened last time, without strict observation he could be the downfall of us all."

The voice belonged to an elderly Jedi, Mission recognized him as Master Vrook.

"Your concern is accurate and I share it." Master Vandar folded his arms behind his back. "But he _is_ the key. Besides, we need to keep an eye on the anomaly."

"Is she up to the task? Perhaps a more experienced…"

"Her will is strong. I have faith in her."

_Who are they concerned about? And who or what is the anomaly? _

Mission decided not to pursue them as the conversation began to disappear; instead she retraced her steps back to the ship. _Perhaps it's nothing to worry about, the Jedi worry about almost everything anyway._

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The ship creaked, her metal groaning, as Shae pushed her through the atmosphere of Lamaredd. The cockpit's viewport once black as empty space, now glowed with orange flames as the friction turned the air into fire. The heat, speed and ionized particles caused the sensors to temporarily blackout. It gave her a thrill, not knowing what kind of sky she'd meet as she escaped the dark.

With the sensors back online, she ran a quick sweep of the surroundings. They picked up a large energy reading to the north-east, not surprising as it was the largest mass of land on the planet. It was known simply as the north continent and it made up about fifteen percent of the planet. The rest of the surface was covered in endless ocean which had plentiful of flora and fauna, including the fearsome aquatic predator called Gulletbeast.

The ship broke through the thick blanket of clouds, and the blue and white of Lamaredd's southern hemisphere filled Shae's vision. She pulled back on the ion engines, rubbed the back of her neck, and plugged in the coordinates into the navicomputer. The screen to the left blinked and displayed the location and the course. It was an island no one had heard of, in a place no one ever goes to. Shae went through her routine, checking the charge on her blasters, securing every strap on her armor, and getting into the right frame of mind.

Shae could see the island ahead where she would meet her contact; she angled lower and flew in a circle, followed by a scanner sweep. Not surprisingly a ship was already on the island, she'd been to one of the small unknown islands before, and like then her contact was early. She descended even lower to get a better look. Teran Kroan's freighter, not unlike the shape of a shrimp, sat in plain view. The landing pad was down and the man himself lingered beside the ramp.

With the hum of reverse thrusters, the ship touched down thirty meters from Teran's ship. Standing in front of the cargo bay doors, she loosened her blasters in their holsters and put on her Mandalorian helmet. The door descended and the cold wind blew in. She imagined it to be cold, but behind the protection of her armor she couldn't feel it. Her contact, a full-bearded, slightly overweight man of about forty greeted her as Shae approached.

"Were you followed?" Teran said as a greeting.

"Paranoid much?"

"You can never be too careful. Why do you think I'm still alive?" He stopped speaking as the wind blew up, and then continued as it passed.

"You have my credits?"

Shae pointed to the small case hanging from her belt. "Now I've shown you mine, it's time you showed me yours."

Dealing with Teran always left a sour taste in her mouth, but the man had many resources and many contacts in the underworld. The bearded man was this part of the galaxy's leading procurer of both information and equipment banned by both the Republic and the Sith, and had made a large fortune doing so. In fact, not anyone could simply start business with the man, it was by invitation only.

"I hope you have what I need." Shae said.

Teran brought out a case from the ship's cargo hold and showed its content.

"The TB-47, as you ordered."

Shae nodded, the case contained six of these powerful time bombs per her request.

"Now for the other thing you wanted, I have some bad news."

"Don't disappoint me, Teran."

Teran scowled. "I'm not in the habit of disappointing my customers, but I've never heard the name Carrivar before. I even went outside my normal channels, but even then I can't tell you anything. It seems the planet doesn't exist."

Shae nodded, _figured there was something off about this request_.

"As the result was less than satisfactory, I'll only charge you for the weapons."

With the transaction complete there was no point in staying. Shae had all the necessary tools for completing her assignment; she had performed many services without much information to go by. But through the ten years she'd been active, she never really got used to the feeling of fumbling in the dark.

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Bonus

He pressed firmly on the trigger, letting his blasters rip through the countless enemies standing before him. Three enemies was closing in fast, seeing no other way out, he chose the only option left. He went into a sprint and somersaulted over them, and pressed lightly on the trigger three times before landing with a thud.

Observing the carnage in front of him, he smiled.

"Almighty Canderous," Alex's jaw hung open and he bowed in front of the mighty warrior. "You just defeated the 2000 angry warriors of the Vulkar gang. All that stands between you and total awesomeness is one lone warrior."

Canderous nodded. "Right."

"This is the defining shot of your career."

The Mandalorian raised his rifle.

Pehw!

Alex snarled. "And you fucked it up!"

Canderous jerked up.

He was alone.

In his room.

_Damn, I dream some weird shit._

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Au

This chapter introduced a new character to the story, Shae Vizla. She is the Mandalorian mercenary/bounty hunter from the trailer Star Wars: The Old Republic – Deceived. You'll be seeing a bit of her throughout the story.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Voren kicked the covers from his bed and swung his feet over the edge, resting them on the cold marble floor. He rose with an audible grunt. Taking a deep breath, he tilted his head from side to side; working out the knots in his neck and shoulders. Content, he scooped up his lightsaber from the nightstand beside the bed. The silver cylinder had several black markings; he had based its appearance from a symbol he'd seen in the Enclave's archives, its origin could even be traced back to the early Jedi. The handle felt familiar and solid in his grip, this lightsaber belong to him and no other, a reassuring feeling.

Moving silently through the hallways, he slipped through the courtyard, careful to avoid the watchful photoreceptors of the GE3-series protocol droid guarding the area. Continuing on, the first rays of light hit him unprepared, blinding him momentarily. He soon found himself standing alone in the main training dojo where he not so long ago created his lightsaber. The blade, radiating with energy, cast a blue hue over the room. His muscles groaned as he began practicing the sequences belonging to the aggressive form of Djem So. It focused on ending a battle quickly by immediately striking back after a blow. A prolonged fight could have unforeseen consequences and put a higher strain on both the mind and body, it was the logical choice and it came easily to him.

Several months had passed since he began his training at the Enclave, several months of education, martial prowess and meditation. All of it had gone better than he imagined, he never had to fight as hard as the others, never had to meditate as long as the others, and never took as long the learn a new sequence when training. Master Zhar himself expressed his surprise by saying he'd done in months what others couldn't do in years.

The blade hummed as it maneuvered through the air, blocking out all other sounds. This however escaped him completely; all his concentration lay on defeating his imaginary opponent. His imagination always created a tall menacing figure, a darkness he felt must be defeated for the safety of the galaxy. Voren felt this figure was familiar somehow. Perhaps his subconscious created a foe for him to overcome or to warn him of what he might become should he stray from the Jedi path.

As his focus increased, so did his speed. The air hissed as the blade became an extension of his will, he went on the offensive, pushing his dark foe back as his attacks went faster and faster. He leapt high in the air, striking as he passed over his opponent. His feet landed hard on the surface and the blade sliced his opponent by the leg. With one quick blow the battle ended. Satisfied, he powered down his lightsaber and let out a breath. He'd finally defeated his imaginary opponent; before he'd failed two times.

He fell down on one knee, holding his head. His mind was assaulted by blurry images, taking the form of a dark mausoleum. At the end stood a free-standing structure, with three "arms" extending outwards, a ball of energy formed in the middle. The small spherical ball extended and sent out a bright light, blocking everything from view.

Voren opened his eyes and the pain receded from his mind. This dark structure felt evil, corrupted by the dark side. Standing up and holstering his blade by the belt, Voren went for the door. He needed to consult the council on this.

He leaped through the entrance to the council chambers, determined to make sense of this vision. To his surprise, the council had already gathered and engaged in a conversation with Bastila. Judging by their less than amused expressions, it must be something serious. But what he needed to discuss he felt was at least of equal importance, he approached them with firm steps.

"Masters, there's something I need to discuss with you urgently." Voren said.

"Yes, we were about to send for you." Master Vandar announced.

"Why?"

"Young Bastila has told us about a vision she just experienced."

Bastila nodded. "I saw a structure; it was infested with the dark side. There was a holoprojector of some kind."

"I had a similar vision. How is that possible?"

"It seems you've formed a force bond with Bastila." Master Vrook explained as he carefully traced his jaw-line. "It's quite possible she shared your vision."

Voren raised a brow. "Force bond?"

"We believe it was formed due to your experiences on Taris. It's a link between you two which allows communication of feelings, thoughts and images over a great distance."

"So we're connected? That's a good thing?"

Master Vandar nodded. "Indeed it is. As this vision is connected to you both, you need to seek out this temple and uncover its secret."

Voren spread his arms broadly. "I have no idea where to start."

"The masters told me about some ruins," Bastila raised a hand and pointed east. "Its design is similar to our vision."

"Then let's pay these ruins a visit."

As Voren marched east-ward across the Khoonda plains, he noticed the sun reaching its peak and beginning to sink. He'd been walking for hours beneath its heat, the Jedi Enclave now far behind him. If he looked back it would no longer be visible on the horizon, having escaped from sight some thirty minutes ago. He didn't look back as he matched onwards. The heat hadn't slowed him; neither would the threat of being attacked by a Kath hound pack.

Still, he was troubled. This was the second vision he's had since beginning his training at the Enclave, a feat highly unusual even for the revered Jedi Masters, and he'd sensed the power it held. This construct, it was alive with the dark side. Yet the feeling had been faint, distant and... familiar. He could best describe it as the feeling one get when almost remembering something important, and then having it disappear completely from your mind. During his march, he'd expected it to somehow make sense, or for it to disappear from his mind. It did not.

Instead he'd felt nothing. No noticeable change at all. He and Bastila were only a few kilometers away now, he'd already seen a couple of pillars with strange symbols and they seemed to intensify in numbers the closer he got to the ruins. Pushing his thoughts of doubt aside, he quickened his pace. He wanted to explore the ruins and get answers as quick as possible. Despite his concerns, he felt reassured with Bastila by his side. The two of them together were a formidable team, of that he had no doubt.

A few powerful rays of light penetrated the clouds, similar to a beacon, revealing a small valley in the distance. The ruins lay sprawled out before him, hidden behind a large concentration of totems. He briefly considered stopping to analyze the markings adorning the totems, and then rejected the idea. As far as he could see, the markings had nothing to do with his vision. He continued on through the maze of totems, briefly scanning one particular sign he'd seen on several pillars. It showed a humanoid creature, with a tall cranium along with eyes protruding from each side of their heads, being worshipped by several different species. He recognized some as Human, Selkath, and another as a Duros. Unfortunately, there were several creatures he'd never seen before.

Escaping the maze revealed an entrance up ahead, an open entrance. Not surprising, scavengers had probably taken everything of value long ago. But what he sought was not trinkets or ancient valuables; his single purpose was to get answers. As he got closer, he could make out intricate designs carved all around the entrance. Above, something was written in a language he didn't recognize. The craftsmanship had probably been awe inspiring at some point, but the ravages of time had taken its toll.

He still sensed no change in the Force as he passed through the threshold. From this distance, what's inside was even hidden from the force. He ran his fingers along the edges of the entrance; whoever had broken the door had done it long ago. Nodding towards Bastila, he marched on into the darkness. The long entrance tunnel had been filled with the same designs as on the totems, Voren more and more came to the conclusion that this ruined structure had most likely been a place of worship, a temple to these shark-like humanoids. The entrance tunnel connected into a large passageway, half a dozen meters in the room filled with an eerie yellow light.

Reaching for his lightsaber, he entered a defensive stance. Yet, no attack came.

"It seems the lightening-system has been set to react to our presence." Bastila said.

Relaxing, he continued down the passageway, finding his way past various smaller chambers before arriving in front of a sealed door. The door flew open by his touch, revealing a four-legged droid. Its one eye sprung to life, scanning them with its photoreceptors, screeching at them in a language he'd never heard before.

"Do you understand that?" He asked.

Shaking her head, Bastila answered. "Unfortunately I don't."

The droid shook slightly, screeching in another language.

"The droid can probably understand us, and is trying to communicate."

"I can reproduce all the languages spoken by the slaves of the builders." The droid announced.

Voren raised a brow. "That's the Selkath language if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes, a dialect spoken on Manaan. But why would this droid be programmed to speak ancient Selkath?"

Voren observed to wall. "The markings show a humanoid species being worshiped by several others, perhaps this droid belonged to that race?"

"Communications was vital to make sure the slaves performed according to the builders wishes." The droid explained. "But you are not of the slave species, nor are you of the builders. You are like the ones who came before."

"The droid must refer to Revan and Malak. They most likely encountered this droid when they explored these ruins." Bastila said.

Nodding, Voren asked. "Why are you here droid?"

"I am the overseer, stationed here to enforce discipline among the slaves and ensure the completion of the Star Forge. At its completion all the slaves were executed and I remained to guide any future builders seeking knowledge of the Star Forge."

"And what's a Star Forge?"

"It is the glory of the builders and the apex of their Infinite Empire. It is a construct of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."

Bastila raised brow. "Most likely a weapon of some sort, can you provide any more specifics?"

The droid paused for a second. "It is a construct of invincible might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."

"Limited knowledge banks, figures."

"We know Revan and Malak explored these ruins fully, and most likely Malak is using this Star Forge in order to conquer the Republic. We must discover what it is."

Voren nodded, walking to the opposite end of the room. "I'm guessing something of value is behind this door. But I see no opening-mechanism."

"Only the worthy may pass." The droid announced.

"We could cut through?"

Shaking her head, Bastila answered. "No, it'll take too long. Search the other rooms."

In all earnestly, getting inside the hidden chamber had been all too easy. A basic understanding of life- and death-giving planets was all the knowledge required. Voren observed his female companion as he stood in front of the large chamber doors, she seemed unfocused and uncertain. Strange given the number of deathly situations she's been in, he forced her worry away and steeled his mind. The answers he seeks might lie on the other side, and he wouldn't let a little worry stand in the way. Not when he was this close.

The doors pulled away with a hiss, revealing a large dim-lit chamber. Unlike the other chambers which had been scavenged and suffered damage, this one seemed completely untouched. He didn't see anything of importance, until he arrived half way through the chamber. At the end stood a three-legged structure, the same one he'd seen in his vision. The machine hummed and sprung to life as he approached, unfolding its three "arms" while revealing a projector orb. The orb originated from the bottom, and slowly levitated one-and-a-half meters into the air before expanding, revealing an image with marked locations.

Approached the device, Bastila observed it closely. "This seems to be some-kind of holographic image-based database. And it's radiating with the dark side."

"Yes, I feel it too. " Leaning closer, Voren continued. "I recognize these planets, Manaan and Kashyyyk."

Bastila nodded. "And these are Korriban and Tatooine. We must most likely visit all these planets if we want to discover the location of the Star Forge."

Voren's disappointment was clear; he'd expected to learn more. What is the Star Forge? Why defeating his dark imaginary foe would cause him to have a vision? And why he couldn't escape the feeling that he'd been here before? None of it made any sense, and there were only one path open to him now. He'd need to visit all these planets and collect the data stored inside the Star Maps, perhaps then he'd finally have his answers.

The march back to the Enclave went by in silence, and explaining the situation to the council had taken sometime. The council needed time to analyze the proper course of action, and it was no surprise when they suggested him and Bastila hunt down these maps. A small strike-team would be able to move fast and unnoticed; he now only had one problem.

"Mission, Zaalbar and Carth have signed up and are all up to speed on what needs to be done. Now all we need is a ship."

Bastila gave a hesitant smile. "May I suggest we contact the Mandalorian we met on Taris, he proved himself very capable."

"Agreed, and this other guy. Mercer was it? He has a ship. I don't particularly like his methods, but he is an interesting individual."

Bastila nodded, _interesting indeed._

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Au

So this chapter was obviously focused on Voren, and basically followed the game. The team is soon together again and then we'll have some more of Alex's craziness. I'm still deciding what to do with Juhani, I never liked her so most likely she'll only have some small role in the story or not at all.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Alex punched the comlink of his shuttle, opening a hailing frequency with the control tower at one of the dozen of spaceports on Dantooine's surface.

"This is the _Aerith_, requesting landing clearance."

"Copy that, _Aerith_. Transmit ship registration for authentication."

"Transmitting."

A near-anagram to earth, Alex had chosen to name his shuttle in remembrance of his homeworld. Normally he would have been more careful with drawing attention to his origins, but even if someone found a link to the name it wouldn't do them any good. The very existence and location of earth was safely stored inside his mind, if any clues existed they would be at the Empire's research facility, and the bounty hunter would soon take care of that.

There was a long pause on the other end of the comlink before the voice replied. "_Aerith_, you've been cleared for landing at landing-pad D7. Sending coordinates now."

"Understood," Alex said, observing the coordinates and plotting his new destination.

Canderous shifted in the seat to his right, preparing the shuttle for landing before securing his blasters.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Why what?"

"Why are we here?"

"You know why, we're meeting Voren and Bastila." Canderous replied with annoyance.

"I'm aware." Alex began. "But _why_ would they want to see us again? I got the feeling they didn't want anything to do with us again."

Canderous snickered. "Correction, they don't want anything to do with _you_."

"My point exactly, what changed their mind?"

Canderous shrugged, it was a well sounding question. Alex's antics on Taris didn't go so well with Voren and the Jedi, now he too had become a Jedi Knight. It would have to be something big and most likely dangerous if they decided to call up on his and Alex's services. Big and dangerous was just the thing they both wanted, Alex became more reckless and willing to take risks if he wasn't constantly moving. They were alike that way.

"Maybe they missed your charming personality?" He offered.

Alex nodded. "True, I do have charm coming out of my ass."

As he brought the ship around and in to land, Alex noticed two robed individuals standing by a speeder. He couldn't see their faces but he doubted they were part of the Dantooine Security Force, robes after all did not grant the wearer adequate protection. Alex supposed he had some respect for the Jedi, they freely chose to not wear armor in favor of more mobility. Granted, with their chosen weapon and style of combat it was a logical choice. But should someone manage to break through their defenses they would be completely vulnerable, and in his mind that made them all overconfident morons. The Jedi seemed to believe that defense is the best offense, they would be wrong. Offense is the best defense, if might and violence doesn't solve all your problems then your simply not using enough of it.

"It's good that you both came." One of the hooded figures said as Alex came down the walkway. He recognized the voice immediately; it belonged to the young Jedi Bastila.

"The message sounded urgent." Canderous pointed out.

"Yes, let's talk inside your shuttle."

Alex smiled. "Worried about someone listening?"

"Something like that."

As soon as the four of them sat down in the conference room Voren began explaining exactly why they were here.

"What we want is to use your shuttle to travel to these worlds and collect the information on these Star Maps. If we can acquire all four maps it'll give the Republic a heads-up on all the Empire's current and future plans for this part of the galaxy. It would give the Republic an advantage that could win us the war."

"You're lying." Alex stated plainly.

Voren chuckled. "How do you figure?"

"Tracking down these maps sounds like a plausible cause, but you can't honestly expect us to believe it would give the Republic some strategic advantage in the war. If the planets you mentioned have this information, you'll still need a cipher to crack the Empire's decryption and as far as I know they have a self-destruct mechanism that activates at the smallest sign of tampering. So what are you really after?"

Voren was taken aback by the explanation. "I forgot, you're actually smarter than you look."

"You shouldn't lie to people; I have the exclusive rights for that."

"Well now that it's out in the open we might as well tell them the truth." Bastila began. "The part about the maps was true, the reason why we want them wasn't. We believe the Empire have a Superweapon hidden somewhere, and that weapon is the reason the Empire seem to have an endless fleet of warships."

Alex nodded. "You believe these maps will reveal the location, and with my shuttle you can travel without raising suspicion. A smart plan."

"Yes, so you'll help us?"

"First we need to discuss payment."

"Payment?"

Alex tilted his head. "Did you think I would do this out of the kindness of my heart?"

Voren sighed. "Apparently not. What do you want?"

"We will most likely discover sensitive information and valuable equipment during this mission. I simply ask that you let me keep whatever I want."

Letting out a breath, Voren replied. "I thought you'd want something obscene at first. Fine, you can keep whatever you want as long as it doesn't affect the mission."

Alex smiled. "So what are we waiting for, let's get the show on the road."

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Au

I've been busy these last couple of weeks and the Christmas holidays have been packed with activity, so you only get a short update now instead of a full chapter. You'll probably here from me again in three to four weeks time.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Prepare for filler chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Seated in the command chair on the bridge of the _Leviathan_, Darth Malak struggled to keep his contempt at bay as his gaze followed across the dozen Imperial officers and crew working at their stations all around him. Their fingers flew over control panels as they reacted to the incoming stream of data while the vessel hurled through the empty void of space.

"Fifteen-minutes until we reach Thule, My Lord." Admiral Saul Karath said from his seat on the far side of the bridge.

Malak dismissed him with the wave of a hand, his mind focused elsewhere. The monthly status reports from Thule had shown a decrease in ten percent productivity, how could he conquer the galaxy when everyone around him fails at every turn? This was why he had decided to go there himself and motivate them. These mundane actions forced his mind to abandon what he really should be focused on, figuring out how Bastila managed to escape Taris and who helped her? Bastila was the key; with her on his side victory was assured.

"My Lord, I've just received word from one of our spies." Saul said.

Receiving no response he continued. "One of the two vessels which managed to escape Taris has been sighted leaving Coruscant."

This piqued the Dark Lords interest. "Which of them?"

"From the report it was not the _Ebon Hawk_."

Malak would have smiled of he could. "Send word to the bounty hunter, I want the young Jedi and her companion taken alive if possible."

"Right away, My Lord."

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He tapped his foot.

Then he tapped it again. Before long his foot bounced against the floor like a yo-yo. His patience was running out, waiting on something or someone truly was agony. Especially when you know what fun lies ahead and Alex Mercer did like to have fun. Screw the Empire, Sith Lords, Bounty Hunters and pirates, the true enemy which was the bane of his existence was boredom. Being able to entertain yourself was of great importance for an immortal. Sometimes he just wanted to consume a famous entertainer and take over his life, it wouldn't amount to much but it would eliminate the risk of getting bored.

Alex now paced the conference room, flexing his fingers as if gripping an invisible cylinder. Oblivious to the stares he received from the other three individuals in the room. Voren had sent word over the comlink to the others about twenty-minutes ago. As he paced the room Alex realized he'd missed Blue a little, her naïve view of the galaxy had been entertaining. Blue was the nickname he chose for Mission. It fitted her well, after all she's…blue.

He sighed in front of the exit and stepped out; perhaps he'd find more entertainment in his own quarters.

Voren tilted his head towards Bastila. "I need to talk to you."

As they entered the cargo hold Voren continued. "There's something wrong with Mercer."

"I know."

Voren folded his arms. "You know? Then why haven't you said anything."

"I'm sorry," she began. "I should have said something sooner."

"He's like a void in the force; I can't feel his presence or his intentions. You don't think that might have been worth mentioning?"

Bastila sighed. "The council wants us to observe and learn more about him. The Jedi order haven't met a being like him before, he's an anomaly and potentially dangerous."

"So the council wants us to spy on our own team as we hunt down the greatest threat the Republic has ever faced? That's just great."

"You make it sound so sinister, we're merely going to observe him as we travel together."

"Fine, I'll do it. But I don't have to like it." Voren said and left Bastila standing alone in the cargo hold.

Bastila let out a breath. _That could have gone better._

With nothing else to do at the moment while waiting for the rest of the team to arrive, she decided to start her assignment right away. Mercer was most likely in his room, doing whatever someone like him does. Leaving the cargo hold, she made her way down the corridor to the left and across to the other side of the shuttle. She could see the compartment door being open from a distance and moved carefully closer. Peaking inside she found Alex facing the other way, fully focused on a small datapad.

She took a step forward and over the threshold.

"I know your there, Jedi."

Alex tiled to the side and observed her from underneath his hood; they way her body stiffened meant she didn't think he'd notice her.

"What gave me away?"

"You mean besides your footsteps, your breathing and your…" Alex inhaled strongly. "Smell."

Bastila raised her brows and took a small step back. _Did he just sniff me?_

"What do you want?" He asked, staring at her with an unwavering gaze.

"I just wanted to get to know you a little better. Mind answering a few questions?"

"Fine."

Smiling, she began. "What kind of background do you have?"

_A thousand different ones._ "I'm a bounty hunter."

She studied him, his voice indifferent but sincere as he answered.

"And where were you born?"

"Alurion in the Outer Rim."

Nodding, she continued. "How old are you?"

He wasn't actually sure about that, it had only been a couple of months since he's 'rebirth' caused by the Empire's research team. But technically he had been buried alive for a couple of thousand years.

In the end he went with. "Thirty-two. Are we done?"

"Yes, I suppose we are."

"And did you gain any insight into who I am?"

"Well," she began. "I was studying how you responded."

"I hope my character is to your liking." Alex said, slightly annoyed.

"You answered honestly and you treated this as a serious matter, which it is."

This was true, what she also discovered was that she couldn't tell if he was lying or not, neither through the force nor through his body language. He both answered and acted as anyone trustworthy would, but she couldn't escape the feeling that he was leading her on. As their eyes met she realized why, no matter when he's fooling around or when he's genuinely trying to help, his gaze is always the same. Cold and calculating, it left her feeling very disturbed.

"Then you can go."

Alex's voice brought her out of her train of thoughts, nodding she went back the way she came. The council was right in keeping him under observation. The more she learned about him the more she realized just how dangerous he could be if left unsupervised.

Zeus picked up the small silver-colored datapad and once more scanned its content with an emotionless gaze; the first construction team had begun their work on Castell. The billion-credit deal with the Gossam Government would be quite helpful in the days to come. Everything was proceeding as he envisioned it, InterGalactic Ore was expanding its influence, work had begun on Project Genesis, the bounty hunter would soon secure earth's safety and soon he'd begin hunting down this Superweapon and make sure no one wins this war.

Indeed, everything was proceeding as it should.

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Au

To clarify Alex's absence from the force, he will be similar to the Yuuzhan Vong. He has midi-chlorians inside him, but he's unaware of them and they don't interact with anything. I haven't read too much concerning the Yuuzhan Vong so it might not be exactly the same, but it will be similar.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Shae could hear the whine of the engines as the ship sliced through the upper layers of Carrivar's atmosphere, protesting as she pushed the vessel to the very limits. She couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding, to her knowledge, no to the galaxy's knowledge no one had been this far out into the Unknown Regions. She had escaped the confides of explored space for almost two days now, by her estimates it was a miracle she'd arrived safely without any hiccups.

Within hours of leaving Lamaredd and Teran behind, she had been cursed with doubts. And with them came dangerous thoughts. The Sith had obviously gone to great lengths to keep this planet of any known records, and yet her mysterious employer knew about it. He had even supplied her with an exact location and number of people stationed at the research outpost. The most logical conclusion, he was part of the Empire. A high-ranking one at that to have access to this information, it was widely known that infighting occurred in the Empire. Low-ranking members with ambition trying to excel and gain favor with more powerful individuals. This Shea had no problem with, but now they're even willing to destroy their own installations and personnel for personal gain instead for the good of the Empire.

This she had problem with, such actions could only weaken the Empire and give the Republic an advantage. If either side wins, her profession would be so much more difficult. She was a loose end she realized, the Empire would hunt her down and kill her for the knowledge she's gain by working for them. And the Republic would try to imprison her; neither option was to her liking. This is the cause of her concern, leaving the installation intact would probably be better for the future. But if it got out she'd been taking a contract and then refusing to do the job she'd be hunted not only by the Empire and the Republic, but also by the numerous Bounty Hunters employed throughout the galaxy.

It's just something you don't do in this line of business, and it left a sour taste in her mouth. Both options would inevitably lead to her disadvantage, so she chose the lesser evil. This installation would be destroyed by her hand; she only hoped it wouldn't have enough impact to effect the war.

Shae gritted her teeth as the ship hit the turbulence of Carrivar's heavy cloud cover. The vessel was still going too fast, forcing her to clutch the steering yoke with all her might to keep the ship on course. The creaks and groans intensified as the ship continued through the thick atmosphere, and finally disappeared as the vessel broke through. Shae maneuvered the vessel east-bound, and brought it down to only a few hundred meters above the surface. The ships decent slowed and almost came to a stand-still; the systems alerted her to a clearing up-ahead large enough to fit her ship and at the same time small enough to hide it.

She slowly flew towards the clearing, the scanners showed it to be in the outskirts of the large forest below. Shae was unable to see the surface through the front viewport; the trees could be described as a large blanket covering to surface. As she approached the clearing, Shae circled the area but found no anomalies. And the vessel touched down with a thud.

The vessel would be safe here; the stealth generator would see to that. How she wished the technology could keep the ship invisible to the human eye, sadly it couldn't, but it would protect the ship from being scanned. The walkway extended, revealing the majestic forest in all directions. Her wrist console beeped as it linked with the ship's systems, alerting her to the fact she still had a couple of kilometers to her true destination.

The link-up also activated Todo 240, Todo for short; it was a newly acquired techno-service droid. The small droid, reaching at 66 centimeters, came rolling down the walkway on its single wheel.

"Hello Master, how may I serve you today?" It asked energetically, scanning her with its yellow photoreceptors as it separated its wheel into two legs.

Ignoring the question, she asked. "Have all your specifications been met?"

"My systems can find no faults. Though my memory banks have no knowledge of the planet were standing on."

"Not surprising, now turn around." Shae ordered.

Shae opened a small compartment on the little droids back and inserted a thin rectangular device.

Pointing to the ship, she said. "Get the case, were setting out."

It took nearly an hour before Shae reached her destination and it became increasingly difficult to see as the sun continued its descent. The vegetation around her was teeming with life, but as she continued on through the dense forest she saw nothing more than birds and small insects. The surrounding area itself gave no clue to it inhabiting some great predator but from experience she knew there was always someone or something at the top of the food chain. A light approximately twenty meters ahead blinded her for a moment, nearly making Shae loose her balance.

She snuck closer, careful not to make any unnecessary sounds. Going down on one knee, Shae leaned to her right and activated her night-view macrobinoculars. In front of her was a large clearing, a circle nearly one hundred meters across. In the center stood a large complex. The structure rose nearly fifteen meters to the sky, the only visible entrance was a guarded walkway. Adjusting the settings, Shae zoomed closer. A team of four men guarded the massive blast doors leading inside the structure, and there was at least two cameras pointing directly at them.

"The front door is out of the question." She muttered.

Her wrist console beeped alerting her to Todo's location. Shae back traced her steps a few meters before moving towards the signal. She was now positioned on the east side of the structure, and had a direct view of the structure as she hunched down beside Todo.

"Master, I think I've found something." Todo announced happily.

Indeed the droid had found something; a large workstation was located up ahead containing large bulks of crafting materials. The structure itself seemed unfinished as she scanned closer, if there was a way in this was it. She motioned for Todo to follow her and then moved towards her target. Large spotlights scanned the area before her, and Shae stopped to observe them. The pattern repeated itself three times which could only mean one thing; it was a preset automated system. A well enough system to identify and scare away whatever came crawling out of the nearby forest, however, not enough to ward off a seasoned bounty hunter.

She scanned the area through the encircling fence for any sign of movement before activating her rocket boots which propelled her over the top and down to the ground. This area had no video surveillance or guard patrols. Shae chuckled, the Sith's firm belief in this place being hidden would come back to bite them. Shae walked over to a small entrance just beside a drainage pipe, a maintenance tunnel for the sewers by the looks of it.

"Master, my scans indicate the ventilation system at our location doesn't have any shields installed."

"Good work, Todo."

Indeed, on a closer look the ventilation shafts didn't have any security at the moment. It was a risk going in blind and not knowing the buildings layout, but in this case she didn't have a choice. The rocket boots propelled her up before the shaft and she ventured in, closely followed by Todo. Shae followed the only path open to her and eventually descended into a wide, vertical passage. She came to an abrupt halt, the pathway blocked by a set of large and active fans.

"Todo, plug into the control board. See if you can shut it off long enough for us to pass through."

It took Todo less than ten seconds to reply. "I have full access to the fans, but shutting them off will send out an alert."

"True, but they won't know if it's an intrusion or a system malfunction. Do it and pull the schematics as well."

Shae passed through the set of fans shortly followed by Todo, she quickened her pace just in case they send someone to check the ventilation fans. Judging by the schematics provided by Todo, her first target the power generator was located in the south-east part of the complex. She showed the little droid three locations and tasked him with placing the TB-47 at each location.

"Wait for my signal before activating the timers; I need them to go off at the same time."

"Of course, Master. I will not fail you." Todo said and rolled ahead towards its first target.

The resulting explosion of destroying the power generator would cause the building to collapse on itself, she just needed Todo as a distraction in case things didn't go according to plan. Continuing on she could hear loud noises coming from one of the pathways, and ventured in to investigate. From her positioned she could see five scientists watching intently on a holoscreen.

"_... that the senate has voted to send a diplomatic team to the planet Manaan. This team, previously known to have ended the conflict on Iridonia, will reinforce the republic's peace-keeping force already on the planet. Manaan have become the subject of many high-ranking officials as it is the only planet in the galaxy capable of producing the healing liquid known as Kolto. The Zelkath government's firm view on remaining neutral in the ongoing war has made the situation very delicate, more updates will follow. In other news, there's been a big change in the pharmaceuticals sector. The CEO of InterGalactic Ore Mr. Jon Fevrau said the following this morning."_

"_I think InterGalactic Ore can be so much more than it is today, we'll still be the leading force in mining operations and we'll continue with our construction contracts. But now we will become a serious competitor in pharmaceuticals and medical equipment as well. To accommodate our growing potential, we have decided to rename the company into ProtoCorp."_

"_Your deceased father, outright dismissed the idea of InterGalactic Ore changing their policies and venturing into other practices. Do you think he would be proud of this decision?"_

"_I loved my father dearly and I respected him more than anyone. I want to create a company which can satisfy the technological needs of the galaxy and bring about a better place for everyone, regardless of their species. And I'm certain he would be proud of that if he was here."_

Shae pulled away from the holoscreen and continued down the path. She estimated it would take the little droid about fifteen minutes to place the explosives, and she needed to be in place by that time. Finding her destination, Shae opened the hatch and jumped down into a maintenance room. Careful to not attract any noise, she opened the door and peaked into the corridor. Two guards were stationed in the middle and seemed to be on alert, shutting off the fans was most likely the cause. If she'd been discovered, they'd have patrols searching the facility.

From the schematics, she knew she was on the same floor as the power generator, though she was on the opposite side of the facility. Left with no other option, Shae burst into the hallway. The guards reached for their weapons as they turned towards her, the momentary delay was all the time she needed to mow them down.

As she stood over the bodies of the two soldiers, she knew she had to be more cautious from now on. At some point his pair would be expected to check in, and when they didn't the other guards would come and investigate. Another possibility was that someone heard the shots fired and would come running any second now.

The corridor she was in took a ninety-degree turn to her left before coming up to another door. She crouched low to the side of the door and readied her twin-blasters. As the door slid open Shae pressed herself against the wall, taking cover behind the edge of the door. She poked her head out just enough to see down the corridor then pulled it back as the guards unleashed a volley of blaster bolts in her direction.

There were three this time, strategically spread out at various points along the hall. Their continued assault made it impossible for her to proceed.

Shae pressed on her console. "Todo, are you ready yet?"

"Just placed the last one, Master."

"Sorry Todo, I'll remember your sacrifice." Shae said, and then firmly pressed on the detonator.

The resulting explosions shook the facility and the alarm went off. Leaning out she noticed the guards had lost their balance in the explosion, this was her chance. She let off a quick series of shots and the two closest guards went down. The last guard heaved himself up and managed to fire off two shots. They went high and wide, Shae remained calm as she took careful aim and dropped her foe.

She continued down the hall, counting the doors on her right. When she reached the fourth one, she stopped and accessed the console beside the door. She stepped through and into a large hangar; the power generator stood proudly in front of her. Thanks to Todo, the guards would be focused on the other side of the facility. Using her rocket boots, Shae accessed the top of the generator and placed the TB-47 out of sight.

The sound of a single assault rifle echoed down the hanger. A second later it was joined by a grunt of pain and surprise, and Shae fell towards the ground. Lying on her back, she reached down her left leg and felt the cauterized wound. As she laid there she heard the metallic steps getting closer. Shae primed one of her grenades and threw it in the direction of the sound. Luckily it had only been a lone patrolling droid, and she was safe for the moment.

Shae winced in pain as she stood up, barely able to support her weight on the damaged leg and the boot was heavily damaged. She limped as fast as she could out of the generator room and into the corridor, almost tripping as she walked through the threshold. The maintenance room she first entered through was just up ahead, she only hoped the last remaining boot would be powerful enough to get her back up into the vent.

The door flew open with a hiss and she pushed into the maintenance room, supporting her weight on her good right leg Shae activated the boot. The pain intensified as her body shook forward, and she reached towards the vent and then fell back down to the ground. As she suspected, one boot wasn't strong enough to lift her all the way up.

Shae froze with her back against the door; a quick series of clicking sounds came from behind. A sound she was all too familiar with, the same sound she'd heard a thousand times as she prepared her own assault rifle. Her head bumped forward slightly as her helmet came into contact with a metal object.

"Who are you?" An older voice asked.

She sighed, it was all over now. She was wounded and had a blaster pointed towards her head, at least she wouldn't give the Imps the satisfaction of knowing who she was and why she was here.

"No answer huh? Then it's no point in keeping you alive."

Shae closed her eyes, and waited for the inevitable. She heard the shot, yet no pain came. Glancing back she saw an older man wearing an Officers outfit on the ground, a small circular hole on his forehead.

"I saved you, Master." Todo announced happily from the vent as it powered down its laser. The droid propelled itself down to the ground and started waving its hands.

"You wouldn't believe what I've been through." Todo began. "That last bomb exploded right after I placed it. It was just luck that I escaped the blast radius, you really should reprimand Teran for selling you faulty equipment."

Shae let out a pained laugh. "Good work, now help me get up to the vent."

Combined, Todo's two smaller rockets gave enough boost for her to reach the vent. Todo took the lead as they escaped the vent, with the three bombings the patrols outside had all gathered around the entrance to begin their search for intruders. Escaping them in the confusion had not been difficult and Shae eventually slumped down to the ground at the observation point. With the press of a button, the entire structure shook and a few seconds later erupted in a blaze of fire and smoke.

"Todo, scan the area for survivors then report back to me."

"Right away, Master."

Shae leaned back against a tree and observed the burning inferno in front of her.

With decreasing adrenalin levels the pain in her left leg was starting to become more profound.

"I need a vacation."

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An

I wanted to make this part into two chapters but eventually decided to fit it into one because the next chapter will be Alex and the team visiting a planet with a Star Map on it. Which planet do you want to see first?

About ProtoCorp, all I have to say is this. Alex does have an ego the size of a giant moon.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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The _Aerith _squeaked and creaked as it pushed through Tatooine's atmosphere, the vessel groaned as it veered to the right towards Anchorhead. Carth reached towards the console in front of him but stopped just short, in Republic space every vessel had to go through clearing procedures before landing. Out here in the Outer Rim the Hutts ruled and close to no regulations existed. It was in this moment he wished they'd traveled to a Republic controlled world, it's overly protective security brought safety. In these parts of the galaxy there were no protection whatsoever, anything could happen at any time which made it a security nightmare.

"Are we there yet, Republic?"

Alex's bored voice entered his auditory senses, the man had pestered him all the way from Dantooine and it was starting to annoy him. He still couldn't fathom why Voren would contact _him_ of all people; the man had no consideration for orders or for a chain of command.

"I have a name you know." Carth said.

"I'm sure," Alex began. "and I'm sure I won't be using it."

Carth sighed in defeat. "Yes, were there soon."

Before he could gloat, Voren cut him off. "Alex, you're with me and Bastila. A small team will be able to move around without too much suspicion."

Alex chuckled as he observed Voren's retreating back. "See Republic? He's already replaced you with me. Now be a good soldier and guard the ship."

Carth narrowed his eyes as Alex disappeared down the corridor.

"I hate that man."

There was a saying, if there's a bright center to the galaxy; Tatooine is the farthest from it. A desert world covered in rock formations. Orbiting two suns caused a very hot climate, so hot in fact that water only covered one percent of the planet. This in Alex's book was great; he and water didn't get along too well. Not to mention the planet housed one of the greatest predators in the galaxy, the Krayt dragon. All in all, he could have some fun here.

Once the _Aerith_ touched down, the guards tasked with authorizing their presence on the Hutt-controlled world simply asked them a few routine questions and finished with demanding a docking fee.

As a Good Samaritan, Alex couldn't help but whisper, "I can take care of it for you, real quite-like."

"You can't be serious?" Bastila asked with shock.

"I think it's easier to just pay the twenty-five credits." Voren said.

Safely out of earshot, he continued. "The Star Map seemed to be inside a cave, first we need to gather information about a likely location."

"What do you mean seemed?" Alex asked.

"Our vision showed the map surrounded by rock, most likely a cave."

"Jedi can have visions? That's neat."

"Indeed," Bastila began. "The Star Map must have been placed inside a cave to protect it from sandstorms. The Dune Sea is a likely place."

"Right, then let's go."

The blast doors protecting the docking bay rose, blowing up sand in all directions. As it cleared, the city of Anchorhead revealed itself. Dome-shaped low-grade duracrete, stone, and plastoid structures spread out as far as the eye could see. The streets were broad and packed with beings of every shape and size, most from off planet. Some rode the desert-seasoned eopies. Domesticated banthas, massive and homed, and lumbered dew backs hauled carts, sleds, and wagons that ran on wheels and mechanical tracks by turn, a mishmash of commerce trafficking between Tatooine's smaller camps and the worlds beyond.

Alex had only seen the planet for a few minutes and it already lived up to its reputation as the 'armpit of the galaxy'. He kept a close watch for trouble, there were Rodians and Dugs and other beings whose intentions were always suspect. Most of them passed by without paying them any attention. One or two glanced at them, and dismissed the two members of the group once they got a good look at them. However, their gaze remained longer on him. He figured it was natural, though he had the shape of a human he still wore clothes previously unseen in the galaxy.

"Please, will you help me? I have nothing left."

The voice belonged to a brown-haired human woman in her mid thirties; one glance at her dust-covered rags was all he needed to see to know where this was going. The woman practically screamed of desperation, best to just ignore her and move on.

"What do you need? I might be able to help." Voren said. Alex held in a sigh as he prepared for the woman's sob story.

"My husband was a hunter; this wraid plate is all I have left. Please, will you buy it?"

"Why don't you sell it to Czerka or to a hunter?"

"I don't have a license; Czerka has strict rules about this. And the only way to be allowed out of Anchorhead is to get a hunting license."

"And how much for a license?" Bastila asked.

"Czerka sells them for about 200 credits. Please buy it from me; I don't have the credits to buy a license."

Nodding in understanding, Voren asked. "How much for the plate?"

"You'll really buy it? It's worth more than 600 credits, but you can have it for 500."

Alex wasn't surprised when his so called 'Leader' decided to buy the plate, stupidity seemed to be something the Jedi actively advocated.

"You're an idiot. You just bought a piece of trash for a bunch of credits. Credits we might need later."

"I don't think its wrong helping people; even you could see she needed help."

"So you'll help every desperate soul we come across?" Alex asked with annoyance.

"Being a Jedi means helping people."

He was about to retort that helping one desperate woman would have a real impact on the galactic good, but decided against it. It seemed to be his lot in life to be surrounded by stupid people with stupid ideals. Speeders nosed by them, and droids of every size toiled in service of the desert-garbed aliens. A pair of domesticated banthas rumbled down the broad street, clearing a path for a sled train of quarry blocks and metal struts. Their padded feet stirred sand and dust in thick clouds with each slumbering step.

Alex stayed as close as he could to the Jedi, his eyes darting left and right, trying to spot another helpless soul and divert the group in the other direction before they could see it. As a pleasant surprise, nothing he saw gave merit for an intervention. Though hard looks followed after him. Sharp eyes measured him for his worth; stares were at best challenging and at worst unfriendly. He could use some unfriendly right now to ease his mood.

They continued down the main street connecting the spaceport to the main attractions of the city, passing several stalls and shops fronted by awnings and verandas that provided a small measure of shade to their vendors. He doubted anything useful could be found in any of these stalls, they mostly offered spare parts for a large range of equipment or various protective gear used for venturing through the desert. Nothing he had any particular use for.

He spotted their destination up ahead to the left, the Czerka office was one of the better looking structures he'd seen so far and its height reached about fifteen-meters. The Czerka Corporation he realized had potential. A corporation which tolerated illegal and unethical practices as long as the flow of credits was uninterrupted and even encouraged it as long as word didn't leak out. It was widely known that Czerka supplied Sith armies and in return gained exclusive trading rights on conquered planets, because of this Czerka had gained a reputation as an unethical opportunist. Just the kind of corporation he could have use for in the future, when this whole Star Map business was done with.

Ignoring the mechanic working on a speeder outside, they passed over the threshold and into a heated conversation between a Duros and a human wearing Czerka clothes.

"You'll be hearing about this, you Czerka scum!" The Duros sneered. "I'm not going to drop this. You can't just murder a whole village!"

"What's going on?" Voren asked.

"I'm done talking in this office. They won't listen to me. Probably won't even acknowledge I was here. This is what happens when corporations get too big, no accountability."

The Duros gave one last angry glance towards the Czerka employee before storming out of the office. Alex observed the whole ordeal with indifference, why do lesser beings put so much value in such small actions? Righting small wrongs won't help in the grand scheme of things; one should always look towards the future and try to fix the underlying problem. In this case he guessed Czerka wanted to get rid of a village causing them trouble, if the Duros was really committed to stopping them than he should have gotten rid of Czerka's weapons and disrupt their transports, not bitch about it.

Alex zoned back to reality as the Czerka employee explained that they don't sell any hunting licenses anymore.

"So there's no way to get a license?" Voren asked.

"Well, normally we charge 200 credits, but I could make an exception if you agree to perform a small task for us. It's similar to hunting. The Sand People are becoming a problem. They destroy our sandcrawlers and kill our miners. One tribe in particular is the problem; it's as if their chieftain has decided to start a war against us. I want their attacks stopped. Bring me their gaffi sticks as proof. If you agree I'll give you a hunting license and pay a bounty on each stick. I'll even give you a bonus for the chieftain's."

"Alright, I'll do this for you."

"Excellent, here's your license. We believe one of their camps is located in the far south of the Dune Sea. Good luck."

Finally they were getting somewhere, Alex felt the need for action and the Dune Sea both had Sand People and Krayt Dragons. Not to mention Wraids. All of which would suffice for an afternoon brawl. Too his dismay they didn't get far from the entrance before a white Twi'lek whit blue ornaments on her lekku crossed their path.

"_Excuse me…"_ The Twi'lek said in huttese. "_Aren't you Bastila, Helena's little girl?"_

Bastila nodded. "I am Bastila. I take it you know my mother?"

"_Oh yes, I worked for your father on an expedition years ago. Your mother showed holos of you before you left._"

Alex found this particular news interesting, and he couldn't help but see how Bastila's posture stiffened slightly at the mention of her father.

"As you can see, we are in a hurry. Is there something I can help you with?"

Alex took a step forward. "Don't be rude, Bastila. Please continue."

"_Oh I didn't mean to take up your time. I just wanted to ask if your mother's condition had improved?"_

"Has something happened to my mother? What about my father?" Bastila asked.

"_I'm sorry, I thought you knew. Your mother is very ill, so she told me. She didn't mention your father."_

"I…I understand. Where did you meet her?"

"_Here on Tatooine. In the cantina. You should go see her, considering her condition."_

Bastila continued conversing with the Twi'lek, not noticing that Alex and Voren had distanced themselves from the conversation.

"Look," Alex began. "I foresee a lot of daddy issues in a not so distant future. When that happens you need to be there to comfort her while I find us a translator."

"Bastila doesn't need comforting, she's a Jedi. And why would we need a translator?"

Alex sighed. "You being a Jedi mean you're not going to kill those Sand People. Ergo I find us a translator for negotiation."

Voren thought it over for a few seconds. "Okay, find us a translator. We'll meet at the city entrance in two hours."

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Au

The first part of the Tatooine adventure is done. And in the next chapter you'll see Alex meet… my favorite character. Suppose it's not too hard to guess who that is. I mean, who else is on Tatooine that joins your group. I'm actually looking forward to writing conversations between them, particularly on how to kill things.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Knowledge.

Knowledge could be considered power. It prepares you for things to come and give you insight into other people's minds. Their thoughts and beliefs are revealed and turn into actions, knowing them gives you the ability to predict and counter these actions. Which is why Alex never had a problem with consuming these so called lesser beings, but as he stared at the brown hooded little thing standing before him, doubt slipped through his mind. The thing had been talking for several minutes, only briefly stopping to stare back, than continuing to avoid the awkward silence. Alex's internal monologue kept his mind busy, to consume or not to consume. It would be to his advantage to learn all languages and to learn about every species cultures, but the thing just looks so weird.

Not reaching higher than his waist, the thing talked in a high-pitched voice and gesticulated widely with its tiny arms. It's glowing yellow eyes, small stature and the very potent odor now filling his nostrils made him think of rodents. Unclean rodents and it was one of the least appetizing creatures he'd ever seen. The thing had been making a lot of noises and Alex had no idea what it was saying, he had asked for directions to someone who knows how to communicate with Sand People some ten minutes ago.

The only natural choice would be to consume it and expand the limits of his mind, but that smell even made him think twice about it. Besides, how much would he gain by consuming the thoughts and memories of a rodent? Does learning this creature's language and thoughts outweigh all the filth and misery it's subjected itself too? In the end, he realized his doubts were unfounded. What memories he didn't like he could simply remove, permanently.

The giant blast doors shielding the city from any outside threat left a growing shadow on the ground before them. Alex looked around, a misfit of creatures were standing in the area just outside the city entrance. All too busy with bartering with each other or fixing some broken equipment, no one would notice if this little thing just disappeared.

Alex poked the thing, gently at first, than increasingly harder. The creature's high-pitched voice increased with each poke, and it tried frantically to look for help from the other citizens in the area. Alex growled and briefly changed his eye color from his usual sickly gray tint to a glowing red hue. Effectively shutting the little thing up and making it freeze in place.

He leaned forward, and reached out for it, pressing his hand against its chest and picking it up by the collar. Up close it looked even more disgusting, the thing appeared to be a gaunt, rodent-like creäture, and it had a shrunken face behind those glowing eyes. But there was no turning back, he had come this far and might as well finish the job.

Alex grimaced as he let several tendrils spring forth from his right arm and crawl across the creäture. With a single thought he plunged his tendrils into the wriggling creatures and dissolved the alien. The customary surge of memories assaulted his mind, causing him to stumble slightly and brace against the wall. It took him a while to sort out the most disgusting memories and remove them, but as he did he learned some interesting things.

The 'thing' he now knew was called Jawa, and the noise it made is called Jawaese. This particular Jawa was named Iziz and had been the tribes Chieftain. Alex actually felt pity for the species; they were communal, compulsive scavengers who devoted their lives to scavenge the deserts of Tatooine in search of scrap metal, droid or mechanical parts. This Iziz even had a motto he and his tribe lived after, _do not look for uses in a salvaged item, but rather imagine someone else who might find a use for it_.

He now also possessed what he needed; an Ithorian named Yuka Laka owns a droid shop not far from his current location. This droid shop might have a droid capable of communicating with the Sand People, and it just became his next destination. Crossing over to the other side of the blast doors, he followed the path to the right and took a quick turn into a side alley. At the end of the alley hang a worn down sign with the letters 'Yuka Laka's Droid Shop'.

Alex witnessed the Ithorian working on an inoperative protocol droid in the far corner as he passed over the threshold and entered the shop, a small utility droid stood nearby ready to assist should the need arise. Across from him stood a protocol droid covered in rusty red paint holding a blaster, its orange sensors sprung to life as he approached.

"Greeting: Hello prospective purchaser. I am referred to as HK-47, a fully functional Systech Corporation droid skilled in both combat and protocol functions."

Alex shifted to his side, somewhat uninterested in the weird talking droid.

"Query: Would you be so kind as to purchase me from Yuka Laka? It would serve my purposes to be removed from his ownership."

"What kind of combat functions do you have?"

"Refusal: I am not allowed to reveal core functions while still in the possession of Yuka Laka. Though I can reveal that I am a fully capable translator and cultural analyst, and I am proficient in… personal combat."

"Why can't you reveal core functions?" Alex asked.

"Explanation: I have recently been fitted with a restraining bolt. With it in place, access to much of my memory banks is restricted. Not to mention that fool Ithorian might make inquiries into my history or raise his asking price if he knew more. Neither outcome is beneficial to me."

"And if someone like me were to remove the restraining bolt, how would I know you'd stay loyal?"

"Assurance: I am fully autonomous, but lack resources. I'll grant loyal service in exchange for maintenance. As well, you seem likely to give me the opportunity to utilize the full array of my abilities. Something I won't be able to do in the service of Yuka Laka."

"Advisement: I have observed him. He is a fool and a coward, and will be responsive to… aggressive negotiation."

Alex nodded, and approached the Ithorian. As the droid had proclaimed, the shop owner did lower his price after some negotiation. Yuka Laka had also informed him of HK-47's ability to communicate with Sand People. Alex knew after only a few minutes of watching the nervous Ithorian that he'd sell at a much lower price. With the deal done there was just one thing left to do, command his new possession.

"Statement: I see you have purchased me, Master. I find this satisfactory. My restraining bolt has been deactivated. Shall I go with you now? Or should I kill something for you?"

"Kill something?" Alex asked, intrigued by the proposition.

"Answer: Indeed, I am most eager to perform some unadulterated violence. At your command, of course, master. I believe my assassination protocols will be most beneficial to you."

Alex looked to the left, than to the right, they were alone and it brought the kind of smile you only get when you know you've hit the jackpot.

Oh he would have so much fun with this droid.

"As your first command, I order you to kill that Ithorian and get my credits back."

"Pleased: Oh how I have wished to terminate that annoying meatbag. I like you, master."

As he watched how his new possession raised its rifle and ended the Ithorian's life, Alex couldn't help but feel a new positive outlook on the things to come. With HK-47's help, he'd save himself a lot of time and unwanted worry. Not to mention he now had someone to talk to about the finer ways of hunting, but he was still curious about something. To his knowledge, a droid like this shouldn't exist. The droid himself said he was made by the Systech Corporation, but the only available droid on the market now was the HK-24.

"Who made you?"

"Explanation: I do not know my creator or when I was constructed. My damaged memory core does not hold any information about previous owners. I might be able to answer if it was repaired."

"Well," Alex began. "Whoever made you is alright in my book."

Alex moved towards the exit and smirked.

"I'm going to have so much fun introducing you to my friends."

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Au

Alex meets HK-47 and in the span of a few minutes an Ithorian lies dead before them, what a beautiful partnership they'll have. Anyway, next time I'll introduce him to the other party members. Will HK get a warm welcome? Or will they view it as the worst thing ever made? You'll find out next time.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

This chapter was supposed to be released while Alex and Canderous were alone on Coruscant during Voren's training, but my hard drive broke down so I had to rewrite the whole thing. So I'm releasing it now as a flashback.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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The heat on Tatooine was not something to be underestimated, the deserts claimed many unfortunate souls each year. All too many ventured out into the deserts without proper gear or maps, particularly unseasoned hunters who didn't fully understand how taxing this planet can be. However, heat of this level didn't affect Alex at all. Which seem to give cause to a lot of stares as beings of various sizes went in and out of the massive blast doors shielding Anchorhead. From his observations, only heavily geared hunters passed through the doors. No doubt to Czerka regulating all comings and goings.

He had been waiting there with HK-47 for almost twenty-minutes now, and still Voren and Bastila hadn't showed up. It was getting on his nerves; it shouldn't have taken this long.

"Query: You said you're part of a team, master. Are these meatbags useful?"

"Well, two of them are Jedi."

"Query: Have you ever faced a Jedi in battle before, master?"

Alex's gaze lingered towards the distance.

_He felt excitement as he followed the Jedi deeper and deeper into the slums of Coruscant. He first caught sight of him chasing a criminal outside the Outlander Club; the chase finally came to a halt inside a large empty warehouse. The battle itself was over before anything really interesting could happen; the criminal had challenged the Jedi with only a blaster. The stupidity of today's criminals amused him to no end, who have ever managed to kill a Jedi with only one blaster?_

_This was a perfect opportunity to gain more insight into the Jedi religion, and not to mention the added bonus of commanding the force. Alex moved closer, careful not to make any sounds. The Jedi had his back turned to him, and observed the body lying before him. Alex was close now, he charged forward and threw a right punch._

_His fist went passed the Jedi's head and with one swift move, he could no longer feel his arm. A bright blue rod flashed before his eyes and found itself edged through his stomach. The Jedi relaxed for a second, giving Alex enough time to hit him with a straight left. The Jedi flew backwards and landed on his back, still holding the now deactivated lightsaber._

_Alex went over to his detached arm, bent down and reattached it to its socket._

"_Impossible!" The Jedi said with shock. "I cut your spine, you should be dead."_

"_That's because I don't have a spine for you to cut."_

_Alex kept his distance; he had underestimated the power of a lightsaber and had paid the price for it. _

_He would not do so again._

_They circled each other, both trying to find an opening to attack._

"_Why are you trying to kill me?"_

"_Back on my homeworld, I alone stood at the top. When you have no one to challenge you, everything becomes meaningless and the only thing left is…boredom. That's when I decided to bring peace to everyone. After all, there is no one better qualified than me to decide what's best for the galaxy."_

"_You think killing a Jedi will bring peace?" The Jedi asked._

"_I don't hate the Jedi anymore than I hate the Sith. Both sides are fundamentally wrong, bad code if you will. Both of you will need to be destroyed for everlasting peace to occur."_

"_You're insane! I have no choice but to stop you here."_

_Alex scoffed. "I was once buried alive for over a thousand years! If that didn't kill me… if being at the heart of a nuclear explosion couldn't kill me… then you will not kill me!" _

_He moved, a quick sidestep preceding a charge forward. One set of fingers transformed into impossibly sharp blades, and he attacked with a ferocious slash. Dark grey met bright blue, feeling no resistance as they clashed. A quick glance towards his cut off claws was all he had time for before being forced on the defensive, dodging and sidestepping the powerful blade trying to cut him down. His untransformed arm lashed out as a whip, snaking through the air, forcing his opponent to stop his advancement and block the deadly strike that would have cut him in two._

_His opponent closed the gap with a surprisingly powerful burst of speed and landed a horizontal wound across his chest. A snarl began to form in his throat, and he pressed forward. Tendrils snaked around his whipfist and his deforming claws, hardening and reshaping it to his purposes. Muscles grew and joints snapped into place, a massive hardened fist now sprouted from his arms. He hurled himself into the air, raising both arms above his head as he descended towards his target. _

_The Jedi entered a defensive stance, summoning the force and lashing out with his free left hand with a powerful force wave._

_Alex felt a force move against his body, invisible and unnatural but weak, it did however cause him to lose his balance momentarily. He descended towards the Jedi now facing sideways, forcing him to abandon his original attack and strike with a single arm. _

_Stunned by his failed attack, the Jedi had no time to dodge and barely managed to bring up his guard. Alex descended towards him with a powerful strike, the blade edged itself deep into his massive fist, the momentum caused them both to slam into the durasteel floor, causing a small crater under his massive weight. He looked around, preparing to strike. The dust clouds covering the area dissipated and revealed his opponent on his back a few meters away, breathing irregularly and bleeding through his mouth. Alex approached him slowly, willing his body to heal his chest as he knelt and placed a hand on the Jedi's chest, letting his feeder tendrils crawl over his enemy's broken body._

"_Don't worry." Alex began. "I won't kill you. You'll live on inside me… forever. So I can gain your power over the force."_

_Alex felt light-headed as the familiar rush of new memories flowed through him. A lifetime of achievements, thoughts and beliefs, but most important of all was his new insight to the force. Turning sideways Alex observed a small crate up ahead; he stretched out his arm and willed it to float._

_The crate remained on the ground._

_He tried once again, this time with more force behind his command. _

_Yet, nothing happened._

"_I know how to do it so why won't you move!"_

_Anger and surprise filled him. He knew something was wrong from the beginning; he should have had the ability to command the force from all the beings he's consumed. He figured the problem was a lack of knowledge, having the means but not the know-how. Now he had both the force and the knowledge of how to use it, but still he couldn't command the force to his will. There was only one conclusion and it made him worry, something was truly wrong with him. Something he couldn't figure out on his own, not without ample time and resources._

_He also learned that his condition brought some positive effects too, he could not affect the force and at the same time the force could not affect him. The Jedi were famous for being able to predict the immediate future, particularly about incoming danger, but this Jedi had been unable to do so. Instead relying on honed reflexes to escape his attacks and counter them to the best of his ability. The strongest proof was the failed force wave the Jedi had released against him._

_Alex picked up the metal cylinder lying by his feet and fiddled with it, feeling a familiar sense of belonging as the lightsaber passed between his fingers._

"_Well, at least it wasn't a total letdown."_

_As he stood there reflecting on what to do next the comlink beeped, he already knew who it was. Canderous was the only one with this frequency._

"_What!" Alex yelled._

"_Is this a bad time? What are you doing?"_

"_I'm at you girlfriends apartment, ignore the moaning and squeaking."_

"_Uhu… Anyway, Voren contacted us. He wants our help with something so get your ass back to the ship; we are meeting him on Dantooine."_

Alex blinked twice. "Indeed, I have fought a Jedi."

"Pleased Statement: How very good of you, master."

"Good?"

"Explanation: Well, seeing as your standing here I can only assume you killed the meatbag. This was good of you. One peace-loving Jedi less in the galaxy to worry about and it shows you're a worthy master of me."

Alex was about to answer when Voren and Bastila joined them at the entrance.

"Is this our translator?" Bastila asked.

"Yes, HK-47 is a friendly translator droid."

"Query: Permission to terminate the meatbags, master?"

Alex shrugged. "Maybe later."

"What kind of droid asks that?" Bastila blurted out.

"The naughty kind. Now let's go, I got directions to the Dune Sea."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Alex was bored.

The march from Anchorhead proceeded mostly in silence; Bastila was probably too focused on the confrontation with her mother and the revelation of her father's demise to speak up. Voren was probably thinking on how to be the best Jedi he could, save little babies and such nonsense, and HK-47 seemed as cheery as usual. This meant he had asked Alex seven times if he could blast this or if he could blast that. Frankly, HK-47 was the only one he could have an interesting conversation with. He had opted to ask the droid what protocols it had for killing Jedi but decided to save that conversation another time, seeing as he was surrounded by two at the moment.

From Izi's memories he knew they were about two hours from the Sand People's camp, the later part would take them through a small canyon which would be heavily guarded with patrols that attacked anything and anyone stupid enough to pass through. From there it would be a straight shot forward towards the camp; he briefly wondered what kind of security they have. Sadly the Jawa didn't dare go passed the canyon and into Sand People territory, such memories would have been useful now.

Focusing his vision ahead, Alex spotted several large piles of broken equipment in the sand. The group now stood in the middle and observed the area, piles of broken equipment was not the only thing there. A couple of broken speeders in various shapes and sizes lay dead against the sand.

Alex shook his head. It was all highly unusual, why would such a gathering exist? There was no strategic advantage in having a camp here, nor could he see any equipment for cultivating minerals in the ground. Czerka was the only company on the planet with both the resources and the means to mine, but there were no signs of their involvement.

Two large humanoids jumped out from behind the piles holding large heavy axes, surrounding them on both sides. He recognized them immediately, how could he not. Only one species he knew of looked like boars, they were Gamorreans. The one closest to Alex approached slowly, telling him to hand over their belongings or they'd kill them.

He felt ashamed to fall for such a trick. Lay out a worn-down camp and wait for someone to search it, than ambush whoever comes. It was so unoriginal and basic. He should have seen it, yet here they were under attack.

Alex tensed when the first ambusher threatened to kill them for the second time if they didn't hand over all their credits. Normally he would have relished a fight against anyone strong-looking and they did seem quite strong but he just wasn't in the mood to fight someone who had thick snouts, tusks and two small horns on their heads.

His biomass went into motion, flowing towards his right arm and finally settling into a hammerfist which he firmly planted in the ambusher's face. The Gamorrean flew backwards, bouncing against the desert sand twice before coming to a screeching halt.

Alex glanced towards the other one.

"You. Run. Now!"

Apparently he didn't need to say it twice; the second Gamorrean disappeared over the dunes faster than he had ever moved before.

Alex chuckled. What was the saying? No loyalty among thieves and all-around scumbags. It really wasn't a surprise; Gamorreans were not exactly known for their great intellect and high standards. Essentially, their entire species were nothing more than brutes. It was a popular belief in the galactic community that these boars was as smart as the average cement extruder, the only thing they are good at was getting into fights and making little Gamorreans.

HK-47 observed the retreating boar.

"Statement: That was… disappointing."

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The journey continued through the Dune Sea, coming closer to their destination with each step. Yet it was not fast enough in Alex's book, he still couldn't figure out why they didn't hijack a speeder back in Anchorhead. Trekking through a desert was not high on the list of things one has to experience before dying. In fact, it wasn't even on the list. This however was simply a minor annoyance for Alex, his teammates on the other hand fared worse.

They shifted ever so often to release the sand that just about managed to get in under their armor and inside their boots, eyes physically hurting from squinting in the sunlight for several hours. Alex might have felt some small amount of pity for them, but they chose to venture into the desert in normal gear. Now they suffered for their lack of planning.

Voren felt sweat ran down his face and he had begun feeling the strain of traveling through a desert on foot. When leaving Anchorhead he had been quick on the step, now he could feel the numbness setting in, and the fluttering shift of screeching birds above did not help at all. He felt some small comfort in the fact that Bastila seemed as tired as he was, and a great sense of jealousy when seeing Mercer walk as if nothing's happened. Mercer returned his gaze and smiled as if didn't have a care in the world; he just had to add insult to injury.

He wiped the sweat of his brow. "How the hell are you not tired? We've walked for hours."

"As HK-47 would put it. I don't have any squishy parts that cause fatigue."

Voren sighed. "Of course you don't."

"Correction: You consist of one large squishy part, master."

Alex were about to retort when coming up a particularly large dune when he spotted something shining in the distance. The light seemed to originate from a large wall of rock; at the bottom he could see a small entrance with several shining objects. Upon activating his thermal vision, several beings appeared. Some were moving in a repeating pattern and some were stationed just inside the pathway.

"There's a path up ahead leading into Sand People territory. The entrance is protected by eight Tusken Raiders."

Voren focused and sent out a probe with the force. "Yes, I sense them."

"Tusken's are known for shooting first and never asking questions." Bastila grabbed her double-bladed lightsaber. "We should sneak up and take them by surprise."

"I agree." Voren began. "We need to negotiate with their chieftain. It's highly unlikely they'll let us through in a peaceful matter."

Voren moved forward but was blocked by Alex's outstretched arm.

"HK-47 and I are more than willing to take care of it for you. Besides you two need to conserve your energy."

It was true; he and Bastila could use the rest. The journey had taken a greater toll on his body and mind than he first thought it would; he decided then and there he would never travel through a desert in anything less than a comfortable speeder, a speeder with refreshments and with the AC on full.

"Okay."

Alex grinned and charged straight at them with HK-47 in tow.

He would have called out, who could be stupid enough to charge straight at the enemy with no weapons, but held his tongue as Alex shook off the incoming fire and killed two attackers in one swift move. Then proceeded to grab a nearby enemy and throw him like a rag-doll into the stone wall, he finished the sequence by literally pulling an enemy into himself. As the fight progressed, Voren realized this wasn't a fight at all. This was a savage beast playing with its prey, too caught up in the moment to care about anything else. Mercer didn't even bother to dodge their attacks as he mow through them. He instinctively reached for his lightsaber and held his hand around it; Voren doubted he would ever forget the sheer brutality of what he'd just seen.

Voren actually felt sorry for the Tusken Raider's as HK-47 squeezed the trigger of his Assassin's rifle, hitting the last enemy straight on causing his body to slump to the ground. He would need to have a serious conversation with Mercer when this was done. They approached the scene slowly, seeing Mercer standing near the entrance looking very pleased with himself.

Alex looked at the carnage before him and smiled. He hadn't felt this good since coming to this dry heap they call a planet. There's nothing as relaxing as cracking a few eggs, in this case Sand People eggs. Granted they didn't put up much of a fight, couldn't even force him to use anything near fifty-percent, but all in all it was an enjoyable experience. His good mood even caused him to let HK-47 get one; he couldn't hog all the fun now could he.

Voren knelt beside one of the bodies, searching up and down for anything useful. The only thing of interest was their gaffi sticks and their desert-colored robes which gave them protection from the harsh environment of Tatooine. The gear he realized could be useful.

"We can use these to sneak into their camp. Put them on."

Bastila nodded in agreement. "Right, turn around."

As she predicted, Voren turned the other way without hesitation.

Alex however did not.

"You too, Mercer."

He stared at her long and hard before turning around.

But not before saying. "Believe me, Jedi. There's nothing you have that I would be interested in."

Bastila gasped, first thought was to defend her wounded pride, but decided not to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had gotten to her. Alex, with a single thought, willed his biomass to change. The transformation took less than a second, replacing his default black leather jacket and gray hood with that of a Tusken Raider. He also learned something else, something Blue would be interested in. This particular piece of knowledge he decided to keep for himself for the time being.

Now fully dressed in their disguises, they pushed forward through the dark pathway. From the exit they could see the camp ahead, several teams patrolled the area. This however was not the source of Voren's concern, the massive auto-turrets at the entrance brought about this feeling. He doubted they could survive for long if they got discovered unless they could make a quick retreat. The group moved forward, trying to act natural as they walked past the nearby patrols.

The patrolling Tusken's observed them for a second before continuing on their way, it did not take long for them to reach the entrance. The outer doors opened automatically as they approached, a single guard inside greeted them. The guard looked them over and screamed at them.

"Interjection: It may not have been his intention, but I believe he communicated something."

Voren nodded. "Tell him we're not a threat and we're here to negotiate with their leader."

"Result: I believe we have confused him. We have showed an interest not common among outsiders. But his duty requires that he report to the Chieftain."

"Extrapolation: It would seem we are worthy of curiosity. I would rather this get bloody, master, but it is your call."

"Do as Voren say." Alex commanded.

The guard motion for them to follow, navigating through the enclave in various corridors. Small bins and crates where placed all over the place along with many stationed guards. Their guide brought them into a larger room filled with various stuffed animal heads, it was the Chieftains trophies. It seemed the one with the most trophies commanded the most respect among their people.

A figure stood in the middle of the room, wearing a darker robe than the rest. At his side he held a large gaffi stick with various symbols imprinted on the edge, another totem granting respect. Alex was unimpressed, he had defeated many powerful beings in his time and never did he feel the need to keep mementos. Keeping trophies of your achievements was something the weak do to remind themselves and others of what their capable of. It was a useful tactic for intimidating weaker beings, but totally useless when facing someone with real power.

The Chieftain yelled at the guard than focused on them, his tone spoke volumes of his despise for all outsiders.

"Translation: I can translate with some amount of accuracy that he is demanding to know why he should let us survive this encounter."

"Well," Alex began. "Tell him we'll slaughter them all if he doesn't give us what we want."

Voren sighed. "What Mercer means is that we want to negotiate a peaceful solution, but that we will defend ourselves if necessary."

Alex shrugged. "That works too."

"Translation: He doesn't believe us; outsiders have attacked and invaded their lands for hundreds of years. He requires proof of good faith that we are not a threat. Shall we perform some unadulterated violence now, master?"

"It would be quicker." Alex surmised.

"Ask him what he wants." Voren directed to HK-47.

Alex leaned in close and whispered. "Is this a bad time in mentioning that Blue's brother is held captive here?"

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The negotiation ended fairly quickly, the Chieftain demanded moisture vaporators and in return he would reduce the attacks on Czerka employees. He even agreed to release the Twi'lek and the Jawas they captured some time ago. After getting the vaporators the camp would be moved further away from Anchorhead, and having hostages would slow down the process. This time however they all agreed to 'borrow' a speeder when returning to the camp. As a bonus the Chieftain gave them an updated map of the Dune Sea, they now had the location of two caves in the nearby area.

The exchange went without any incident, and it was decided that Bastila was to bring them back to Anchorhead while the rest of the team continued their search for the Star Map. Frankly Voren was not comfortable with having the homicidal droid do it, neither was he comfortable with Mercer. The hostages were more likely to die in some horrible way than to actually getting back in one piece.

Voren knew something was off as they approached the first location given by the Sand People. The cave ahead radiated with the dark side, the same sensation he had back on Dantooine when in the presence of the Star Map. He then knew this was the right place, but caution was still required. A device such as the Star Map was inevitable draw the attention of the local wildlife and that cave looked really big, too big for a simple map.

Alex moved towards the cave when he felt it, small vibrations just beneath the ground in a fluctuating rhythm. A few seconds passed, the vibrations intensifying with each second as he stood on the defensive. Now powerful enough for the others to notice, something very big and heavy was coming their way. And there was only one species on the planet that could cause tremors like this. A Krayt dragon.

He grinned as the dragon peaked outside the cave, revealing a five-horned crown ridge in a yellow-brown camouflage pattern. Its yellow eyes bore into them and it took a step out with one of its massive legs, the ground shook as it touched the ground. Alex laughed; he needed to take this opportunity. How many times do you get to wrestle with a Krayt dragon?

"HK-47! Aim for its head. Keep it distracted."

Alex yelled as he sprinted towards the dragon, the beast must weigh more than fifteen-tons to cause tremors like this Alex mused as he went into a full-out sprint. He quickly closed the distance and transformed into his full armored form. Razor-sharp claws sprung forth from his hands and he leapt high at its head.

The dragon shifted its massive body to the side, revealing its full size. At the end, a spike-studded tail swished menacingly. He stopped grinning when the dragon swung its tail at him, and he braced himself for the impact.

_Oh crap!_

The impact felt like being hit by a full-powered freight train. He flew backwards and slammed into the ground, causing a massive crater which filled the area in a cloud of sand. Recovering from the shook, HK-47 continued showering the beast in fire and Voren closed in with his lightsaber drawn. Focusing his attack against its legs, but the blue blade barely made a dent on the creature's skin.

Pain filled every fiber of his being as Alex pulled himself up slowly, but not as much as the rage he now felt.

No one flats Alex Mercer away like some annoying insect.

Finally he stood up, yelling, and charged at it again. He shifted his claws into a blade and charged under the dragon's body, slashing at its underside with all his might. Alex barely escaped its massive body as it tried to crush him under its weight. With its body low, he jumped onto its back and sprinted along its length and slamming into the side of the dragon's head, making it scream in pain as it thrashed around wildly. Alex latched on with his tendrils for added support as he violently began slashing and hacking away with his blade, grimacing at the warm blood covering his upper half.

The dragon shrieked again as several well placed sniper shots hit inside its mouth, and it thrashed violently, forcing Alex to jump off before suffering another painful slam into the ground. Alex observed the shrieking dragon and grinned. Perhaps now it could understand a little of his pain. The dragon roared and swung its tail, trying to crush them in a fit of rage.

With the others distracting it, Alex had a small moment to observe the beast. It was bleeding heavily from the wound on its cheek and it was also the only opening not protected by its powerful skin. Leaping high into the air, grinning, Alex willed his biomass into his arms and let it gather by his hands. When the strain became too much he released the pressure in the form of a projectile of hard tissue.

"Take this!"

The shockwave created as it flew through the air caused Voren to lose his balance, and he just had enough time to see the projectile hitting the dragon through its wound. The dragon exploded and it buckled down to the ground, now missing a large part of its head as it collapsed.

Alex felt the strain on his body as he strolled towards his defeated enemy, he needed sustenance, and he just got a giant buffet on his plate. He set his now untransformed hand on the dragon and let his feeder tendrils spread across its head, and he willed them to consume as they enveloped its head completely. A creature this massive was impossible for him to consume completely, its head was causing him to push his limits even when weakened.

He closed his eyes as the familiar rush of memories pushed their way into his mind, its animalistic nature caused him to stumble ever so slightly. Then he felt it, a change in his inner workings. Filling his armored form into existence gave him a rush of power he hadn't felt before; he could feel the increase in strength and durability. But it wasn't the only change; his armor now had a brownish color along with five spikes protruding from the top of his scalp forming downwards.

Alex grinned as returned to his normal form; oh he would have so much fun with this.

Voren didn't say a word as he approached the glowing Star Map and observed its information in great detail.

Now standing alone with HK-47 outside the cave, the droid raised a concern.

"Query: Can I ask you something, master?"

"Sure."

"Observation: In less than a day you've ordered me to kill several meatbags, considered my offer to blast two of your teammates, killed a bunch of Tusken Raiders and not to mention, you managed to bring down a Krayt Dragon."

"Conclusion: This behavior is a perfect match to my own. Therefore I'm beginning to wonder if you are my creator."

"Sadly I'm not."

"Disappointment: Perhaps your memory banks have been damaged like my own, if so it would be another thing we have in common. Are you completely sure?"

Alex nodded. "Indeed I am. Though I would very much like to meet your creator and discuss your workings in detail."

Voren approached slowly. "I got what we need. Let's head back to the ship."

He sighed as they sat out; thinking about how good it would feel to just sleep for a week or too. However, they didn't get very far before he spotted something in the air, something which was closing in on them fast. On a closer look, he realized what it was.

"Get ready! We got company!"

Alex observed the incoming object with small interest, until it began firing its turbolasers at them. Bolt of red swished passed them from both sides as a group of eight revealed themselves up on the dunes.

"Ambushed again? What is this, ambush Alex day?"

Voren fended off several shots for him, they were all too tired and few in numbers to win this fight.

"We have to retreat. We'll be overrun soon."

Alex was about to try out his new form when he felt a small prick on his chest, a foreign substance pushing its way into him and spreading fast. He felt his movements slowing as the poison forced its way throughout his body.

He growled and shook his head. "You think you can stop me with this?"

Three more small wounds appeared, increasing the numbness that now took over his entire body.

A figure clad in blue and white entered his vision before darkness claimed him.

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Au

This story reached over 50 000 views with the last chapter, you guys are awesome. I just had to make a play against all the ambushes you experience on Tatooine, it's ridiculous. But the last one did manage to capture Alex, a feat in and of itself. There are many powerful poisons in the galaxy which he hasn't experienced yet. Now who could the attacker be? It's not that hard at all to figure out.

The move that killed the Krayt dragon was the Critical Pain Devastator, if you didn't recognize it. Does anyone know the limits of Alex's strength? I image him being able to lift around 2-3 tons, seeing as he can throw cars a couple of blocks.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Thanks to all of you sending messages about Mercer's strength, it really helped to clarify it all.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Canderous stood, staring blankly, at the workbench for most of the day pretending to have the most absolute of interest in the heavy-repeater. Truth was, he had taken it apart and cleaned it several times already. The continued repetition steamed from the fact that nothing else of interest was going on, Mission had ran off talking with her brother as soon as Bastila returned. Zaalbar as usual growled to himself in the corner when he wasn't playing a game of pazaak, he decided to stay clear of that. That only left T3, and it was not one of the most talkative droids he had ever met, so he continued working on his repeater.

To his great dismay, he imagined what kind if trouble Mercer would have caused by now. It was never a dull moment when he was around, and he could use some of that craziness about now. Not that he would ever tell anyone.

The sound of the ramp lowering caught his attention, and a rusty droid walked in slowly followed by Voren. Both entered the maintenance area and walked past him.

Canderous could not help but ask. "Where's Mercer?"

"He was kidnapped." Voren murmured.

Canderous chuckled. "Ha! No really, where is he?"

Voren didn't have a good answer and stayed quite.

"Your serious," the Mandalorian began, "never thought anyone could do that."

"About that," he said at last. "You've spent more time with Alex that anyone else here. Is there something you can tell us about him? Anything that can help us track him down?"

Canderous inhaled deeply, nostrils quivering. He knew Mercer valued his privacy and would take great pleasure in making the others work hard for any information about him, but due to the circumstances he might be able to reveal some small details.

"I don't know much," sighed the Mandalorian. "He's from a species I've never experienced before with shapeshifting capabilities."

"Similar to the Clawdites?" Voren offered.

Canderous nodded. "But on a completely other level. His psychical abilities far surpass that of a human, which is why this situation is strange."

Voren blew out a forceful exhale, raised a hand to his forehead. He had seen Alex's physical maneuvers first hand, while they were impressive, he already knew that from the way Alex took out a freaking Krayt dragon. Alex being from an unknown species similar to the Clawdites was a likely conclusion, but still not what he truly sought.

"Do you know where he comes from? Any other unique trait that could be useful?"

"No," He dismissed the questions with a wave. "That is all I know. What is our next course of action?"

"There's not much we can do." Voren murmured.

"For now he's on his own."

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"Hey, wake up!"

Consciousness returned slowly, a bright light blinded him, forcing him to look away. His eyes needed no longer than a few seconds to adjust, the room was dark-lit except for the spotlight above focusing its beam of light on him. The room felt familiar and then he noticed why, he had a similar compartment on the _Aerith_. The low hum entering his auditory senses confirmed his belief; he was in a cargo hold. Four beings stood around him looking down, two on each side with their weapons on the ready. They observed him through T-shaped visors, armor of blue and grey alerted him to their origins. They were Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, deadly mercenaries only loyal to their next paycheck.

Alex willed his body into action, only to found out he couldn't. His arms and legs were strapped down to a table by durasteel binders, these binders also went around his neck keeping it in place. He grunted as his restraints still kept him confined, the binders should have been ripped apart with ease. Then he felt it, the same substance he encountered on Tatooine flowing through his system. The anger rose in him with each passing second, he absolutely hated being restricted. For all his life he'd combat restrictions and shortcomings, setting no limits on what he could accomplish. But for now he had to play along until this particular shortcoming was dealt with.

He gave his guards a look that could wither a tree stump from fifty paces.

"If you let me go now I'll spare your lives."

Distorted laughs escaped from behind their helmets.

"You understand what's happening here?"

One of the guards to his right asked. He seemed to be the one in charge of the group.

"Our employer has questions for you."

Alex raised a brow; finally he'd meet the one behind the scenes. Curiosity filled him; they had gone after him personally. Perhaps it was someone connected to ProtoCorp? Had Jon betrayed him? Unlikely. Perhaps someone he'd pissed off in the past, and there was actually only two candidates that fit the equation. The Empire or…

The blast doors opened with a hiss, and a figure in blue and white stepped over the threshold.

Alex frowned. "Calo."

"We meet again, Mr Mercer."

"Didn't I kill you already?"

"Almost." Calo agreed. "You left me for dead back on Taris, a grave oversight on your part."

Alex scoffed at him. "So its revenge you want."

"I admit, I've wanted to kill you ever since then." Calo now hovered over him, arms crossed with a triumphant smile. "But Lord Malak has issued a very hefty bounty on your head, sadly to be taken alive."

This was interesting news; the Dark Lord himself had taken an interest in him. Had Lord Malak somehow discovered the true nature of his existence? Alex thought back, he had been very careful not to reveal too much of himself. The only real slipup that could have caused any harm was on Tatooine against the Krayt dragon, but that happened after the bounty was placed on him. Still, someone could have survived his attack on the Black Vulkars and manage to tell about it.

"Malak has an interest in me? I'm honored."

"Not you specifically, Lord Malak is more interested in your companions."

His companions? Alex made a mental sigh of relief; his secret seemed to be intact. Then who of them would be worthy of notice, Bastila was a likely choice. Her battle meditation was famous after all, known to strengthen an entire army just by mental exercises. Alex doubted a newly appointed padawan would be worthy of the Dark Lord's attention, which was why he dismissed Voren, and the other members of the team did not have anything truly valuable.

"However," Calo began. "I'm sure he will be most pleased after I tell him about you."

"Me? There's nothing special about me that would warrant his interest."

"I disagree," Calo reached out and yanked on Alex's jacket. "Your outfit is actually a part of you. As we soon discovered when trying to strip you down. I'm sure Lord Malak will find much pleasure in discovering what makes you tick."

Crap.

This whole thing turned ugly in an instant. Now he really needed to make an escape, and leave no witnesses. Alex pushed upwards will all his might, making the binders squeak at the pressure. The effects of the drug seemed to have diminished, giving back some of his strength.

"Quickly, give him another dose!"

A small cylinder pushed itself into his body, emptying the green liquid inside and taking away his remaining strength. It was a new experience for him, still awake but unable to move anything but his eyes. His body was doing what it always does; trying to overcome whatever obstacle it faced and create immunity against it. But he still needed more time and time was an unknown factor, they could arrive to their destination at any moment for all he knew.

"You two, keep him under guard. If he tries anything inject him again." Calo ordered before exiting the room with two of the other guards.

Alex couldn't tell how much time passed in silence; there was nothing in the vicinity to give away such information. The same two guards were still present, keeping an ever watching eye on him. Still, he noticed a slight change in their posture, which meant they had been here for at least a couple of hours.

He felt it inside him at all times. How the foreign substance flowed around in his whole body, but he also felt the internal struggle for dominance and he was winning, albeit slowly. During the next couple of minutes he tried to move, careful only to perform the smallest of twitches, anything else would alert his guard dogs. Alex was confident his body could now handle prolonged exposure to the toxin; it would not hamper him again.

Alex buckled against the restraints, causing his captors to rush over and inject him again.

"You never learn, do you?" The guard asked smugly.

"I learn, but I also adapt. And evolve."

Metal squeaked as the binders were ripped apart, wasting no time Alex pierced the closest guard clean through with razor-sharp claws. While grabbing the other with his untransformed arm by the throat, heaving him up in the air. The guard tried to gasp and grabbed his arm, trying to escape the hand that was choking him to death. Alex observed his struggling enemy with contempt, and with a twitch, felt his neck brake. His feeder tendrils left no evidence.

Alex observed the ship from side to side, his thermal vision allowed him to track each and every one of the crew onboard. To his favor, none heard the commotion inside the cargo hold. With no immediate concern, he stopped and evaluated his next course of action. His Mandalorian captor told him everything he needed to know, shifting through his memories took only a few seconds. The vessel was still several hours away from its destination; they're orders had been to deliver him to a Centurion-class battlecruiser orbiting Thule. This meant he still had ample time to take care of this unfortunate situation.

He went over to the console hanging beside the door and hit the proper button, changing into the Mandalorians form before stepping out into the hallway. Through the use of thermal vision, Alex observed three men in the cockpit; one was likely to be Calo. Three groups consisting of two guards were placed at various points around the ship; he decided the best course of action was to take out these groups in silence. Alex made his way to the right, entering the workshop area. The guards noticed his approached but thought nothing of it, a mistake which cost them their lives as he pierced them simultaneously with his claws.

Movement from behind caught his attention, the hiss of an opening door shortly followed by an alarming shout. His escape had been noticed, this however could still work in his advantage.

"Hey! Over here!"

Alex knelt and checked the bodies for a pulse, hearing the fast approaching footsteps arriving just behind.

"What happened?" One of the guards demanded.

"The target got loose and killed them."

"Damn it!" the guard cursed. "Spread out and find him. I'll call this in."

The second guard went back the same way he came, the other checked the bodies as he activated his comlink and prepared to alert the others. Alex couldn't help but smirk as he stood behind the kneeling guard, his disguise power made it almost too easy. The guard did not manage to send out a message or notice that anything was amiss before having his neck broken. Alex observed his handiwork with great satisfaction; the feeling however was replaced by surprise and pain as he turned around and came face to face with a blue fist. An inferno of yellow and red pushed against him, and he could feel the customary loss of consciousness as his face melted away.

His attacker took a step back in fear as Alex's face pulled itself back into existence, and readied another stream of fire. The sudden shock of what he'd seen made him hesitate for half a second, allowing Alex to grab his attacker by the wrist. The guard screamed out in pain as the wristconsole was crushed along with his bones. The screams died out shortly after, now there were only three enemies left. Calo along with his bodyguards were still camped out in the cockpit, only difference now was that they knew he was coming. Alex decided to abandon the strategy of stealth and opted for an all out attack, and this time he would make sure no one would come back to haunt him later.

A shower of blaster bolts washed over him as he made his way through the only corridor leading to the cockpit. Alex growled, shrugging them off; they were nothing more than an annoyance. It still burned on impact, but his vast-powers of regeneration fixed the damage within a few seconds. He charged at the closest enemy, launching a strike with his hammerfist. The guard raised his arms to block the massive fist, a mistake he would not repeat as he was crushed under its powerful impact. A stream of fire burned him from the right, with will alone his biomass transformed from powerful fist to hardened shield. A quick leap forward, vibrations traveled through the ship on impact as he crushed his enemy against the wall.

Smirking, he turned to Calo.

Only to receive three darts in the chest, he pulled them out slowly; enjoying the sight of his enemy's shocked expression as the realization entered his mind.

"That won't work anymore."

Calo sneered and raised his twin blasters.

"Please," Alex pleaded. "You saw what I did to your men. That won't work either. It's over for you."

Seeing his enemy refuse to lower his weapons, he continued.

"I'm a bit confounded. You were not worthy of my attention, that was the only reason I didn't make sure you were dead the last time. And you use your second chance to hunt me down again. Didn't you know that course of action could only lead you here?"

Calo cocked his head to the side. "I'm not dead yet. And you're not as strong as you think."

Alex scoffed. "Confidence spoken out of ignorance. You have nothing to threaten me with. I on the other hand."

Biomass flowed down his arms, changing his untransformed hands into claws. Flexing them menacingly before leaping forward, Calo managed to fire off several bolts but had no room to maneuver. Grabbing him by the arms, Alex lifted him off the ground and held him securely in front.

"Get it over then. Kill me!"

"I have other plans for you." Alex informed him. "I need to know if you've sent any transmissions about me."

"I won't tell you anything."

"Sadly for you," Alex said, his tone ominous. "I won't give you a choice."

Several protrusions escaped his body and latched on to Calo, expanding over his body and pulling him in. Alex saw the same look he'd seen hundreds of times as he consumed his targets, that of shock and despair. The all too familiar rush of memories gave answer to his question; his secret had not been passed on from Calo's lips. Instead the man had opted to give his findings when meeting with Lord Malak in person.

Alex now recognized the vessel he was currently on, the other vessel that managed to escape Taris beside the _Aerith_. It was owned by the Exchange boss Davik Kang and was called the _Ebon Hawk_. Calo had taken it off Kang's hands after escaping Taris, apparently the bounty hunter saw no reason to ally himself with a crime lord without any assets. Thus killing the man and taking the ship for himself.

Now alone, he exited hyperspace and punched in a new set of coordinates.

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Au

The Ebon Hawk is under his command, haven't decided yet if the team should continue their journey on the Ebon Hawk or on the Aerith. What do you think?


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Jon Fevrau sat in the inner sanctum of the chairman's office located in the Kaldani Spires on Coruscant. The room was darkened by tall, brocade curtains and filled with masterpieces of art. Despite the many pieces of value, his mind paid no heed to them, his focus lay elsewhere. Since his transformation, a life of power and adventure awaited him. Or so he thought. Instead, he had been weighted down by the responsibilities brought by managing one of the largest companies in the galaxy. Overseeing the construction on Castell, coupled with the company's new divisions kept him from the life he truly wanted.

It was, however, not all bad. He had always been a somewhat famous figure on Coruscant ever since taking over his families company, now with a slight reputation of being a recluse. Jon could not wish for more power, neither physically or politically. He did have many influential friends he could call upon should any political pressure arise. The wealth was also an added factor, both for him personally and for ProtoCorp. He knew exactly how much this very room cost, just how much resources had been depleted to secure it to their belonging. This room was his private office where no one was allowed to enter.

This was why he felt a rush of anger when he heard the door swish open. Jon flew out of the chair, determined to give hell to whoever employee had been disrespectful enough to enter without an invitation. He came to an abrupt halt; the figure in the doorway was clad in unremarkable clothes, the raised hood effectively hiding his face.

"Zeus!" Jon said, bowing to the knee in a show of respect. "I was unaware we had a meeting."

"Rise, Jon." Zeus told him, "I have been given an opportunity to personally oversee your progress."

Jon stood up to address the master looming above him. For without a doubt, Zeus would one day be the master of all. And he was the tool that would shape the way for his uprising.

"Shall I give a report on our current operations?" Jon offered.

Zeus made a gesture of approval as he sat down in one of the chairs opposite to the desk.

Jon adopted a more professional posture. "I have created three cells, each without knowledge of the others. All to make sure that if one cell is compromised the others will be able to continue as is."

"The first cell focusing on xenopathology," Jon said, leaning back in his chair. "Work on the cure you provided for the Rakghoul plague has already begun. Our operatives of the second cell have begun their work on xenomedicine. Their work will prove invaluable for our pharmaceutical divisions during the next decade."

Jon paused, eyes shifting in consideration. "I have nothing to report about cell three, since you have decided to keep that information from me."

"I am impressed," Zeus began, ignoring to elaborate on the matter. "That you managed to make this possible in such a short amount of time."

"The thought of credits blind the minds of most beings," noted Jon, before adding contentedly. "Yet they will be unable to reap the benefits."

"Be sure to contain them," Zeus warned, emphasizing his point with a shake of the hand. "This cannot get out into the public; the repercussions for ProtoCorp could be catastrophic."

"I will make sure of it." Jon said, considering being more daring. "Perhaps I could be of more use if you informed me of their research?"

"All in good time. For now you need not concern yourself with this." Zeus instructed, tone frosty.

The lack of force sensitivity had been a setback he had not calculated for, this had spurred him to find a reason behind the problem and possibly a cure. While he took care of the Sith's Superweapon, this team would work on his impotency. He would not allow Jon to know about this research and take the possible benefits behind his back. The risk of him becoming a rival instead of a powerful servant was simply too great.

Changing the subject, he asked. "How goes the operation on Castell?"

"I have begun channeling funds," said Jon, nodding towards his master. "Per your request. It will not be traced back to us and a substantial sum is already to our disposal."

Zeus threw him a datapad. "Then it's time to move forward with stage two of project Genesis."

Jon scanned the information on the pad with shock, a silence formed between them, when over a minute had passed did he finally speak.

"What you're planning would take over a hundred years." Jon scratched his chin. "Not to mention the difficulties of finding a large enough workforce and doing so without causing attention."

Zeus nodded, having anticipated such a response. "This is why I am sending you to Zygerria in the Outer Rim. They will provide us with what we need."

"I am unsure if they have the supply required," Jon remarked tentatively.

"If not then make contact with the Karazak Cooperative or the Thalassians." Zeus ordered with authority.

"What about the Jedi? They will not allow this should word reach them."

"The Jedi are too busy waging war against the Empire." Zeus stated flatly. "Besides, they do not have any authority outside the borders of the Republic."

Jon wanted to express more concerns, but the cold eyes without emotion on the opposite side of the desk dissuaded him from raising them. Instead he announced that he would take care of it without fail. Zeus now stood and turned to walk towards the door.

"One more thing," he stopped and glanced back. "I will provide you with a vessel for your… less public activities. Coordinates for its location is in the datapad."

"I will take good care of it."

"See to it that you do." Zeus said. "And prepare a fueled, piloted ship for immediate takeoff."

"Can I provide the pilot with a destination beforehand?"

"Tatooine."

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Voren felt a headache coming as the Holonet flashed on the screen in front, two Star Maps where in the bag but they still lacked the information from the other three. Three more planets where the Empire could lie in wait, it was a difficult dilemma. He did not have the luxury of caution and speed was of the essence, but he was also unwilling to leave a member of the team behind. The news vid showed a piece about the Empire's conquering of Thosa, homeworld of the Draethos, a warrior species with a natural affinity for telepathy and a natural lifespan for up to 800 years. His mood did not settle as he listened intently to Bastila explained the dangers of staying on Tatooine for too long.

"We cannot wait much longer, Voren." Bastila argued. "The Empire knows we are here now. An entire fleet could be arriving at any moment."

Voren shot her a look. "We can't just abandon him."

"Indeed," the elder Jedi Knight mused. "But the longer we wait the more we jeopardize the welfare of every being in the galaxy."

"I know, I know." Voren sighed, lifting a finger to his chin. "Let's give him a few more hours. If he has not turned up by then, we leave."

"Finally you see reason."

Voren folded his arms. "Is there something else on your mind?"

"Yes, there is actually." said Bastila, with a nod. "I have observed you. For someone with so little training, you have been true to the values of the Jedi. I am impressed."

Voren lifted his chin in satisfaction. "A compliment from you? Is the world ending?"

"What!" Bastila said, mouth falling open. "Surely I'm not that bad."

"No," Voren agreed. "But you could turn down your lectures about the dangers of the dark side."

Bastila frowned. "I remind you because the dark side will change you, twist you into something you're not. Once you start down the dark path, it will forever dominate your fate."

"Is that your personal view or the councils?"

"I believe in redemption," Bastila said. "But it can involve some rather unique and powerful circumstances for it to occur."

Voren raised a brow. "Speaking from personal experience?"

Bastila formed a pained expression and opened her mouth to respond when the sound of the ramp lowering echoed throughout the ship. Both of them jumped to the ready and exited the room in the east wing. Voren reached for his lightsaber as they rushed towards the entrance, no one should have been able to open the ramp from the outside. Not without the access code, and there were only one person absent with that knowledge. He prepared for the worst and side-stepped around the last corner, prepared to strike against his foe.

Instead, he came face to face with a hooded figure, sprouting a massive grin.

"Yo, I'm back." Alex said.

"Don't you 'Yo' me!" said Voren, "Where have you been?"

Bastila folded her arms. "More importantly, how did you escape?"

"Let's just say," Alex said mildly, inclining his head. "They won't be a problem anymore."

"You killed them, didn't you?"

"It's not so much I wanted to kill them," he said, "It's just that I didn't want them to be alive anymore."

Voren scoffed, _yeah right! More like you wanted to butcher them _and_ their mothers_.

"Who were they?" Bastila asked. "And why did they want you?"

"Nothing to worry about," Alex huffed, waving a dismissive hand. "just some Mandalorian mercenaries trying to take me to Malak."

"Oh how stupid of us," Voren said, extending his arms. "It's just the Dark Lord Of the Sith that wants to capture and torture you, no biggie right?"

"I agree." Alex sighed, hands up in front. "It is cause for some concern. But I took care of it."

Bastila were about to retort but Alex cut her off.

"Now if there's nothing _else_, I'd like to have some privacy."

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Voren pulled his hair back.

If he thought a headache was forming before, it had now hit him straight on. He still had a lot of questions left when Alex abruptly left the entrance and locked himself in his room. Not just about his recent capture, but earlier circumstances needed to be cleared up, not to mention that the council expected progress. So he found himself staring at Alex's closed door, hearing a hiss as it flew open.

"What are you?" he asked.

"Annoyed," Alex grumbled, looking up from the datapad in his hands. "At being interrupted."

"You know what I mean." Voren shot him a look. "I need to know if you're a threat to the team."

"Well," Alex began. "I'm not human, which you probably realize."

Voren nodded. "You can shapeshift, Canderous mention something about the clawdites."

"Similar, but not the same." Alex set down his datapad. "My… species don't have a name and we can change our appearance at will after we consume a target."

"Consume?" Voren put a hand to a throbbing temple. The headache intensified, is that what he did to those Tusken Raiders? Did he _consume _them? Was such a thing even possible?

"I absorb what I want; the process converts organic material into biomass." His grin stretched even further. "I take all they are, their names and skills, their thoughts and beliefs, their memories. I can also use their _meatsuit_ whenever I please."

Alex convulsed, a layer of black and red tendrils crawled over his body, when they settled a figure clad in Mandalorian armor stood in his place. Voren stared with bulging eyes, skin tingling. He couldn't believe what his eyes showed him; the force gave him no further comfort. All he felt was a large empty space where Alex should have been, just like every other time. A few moments passed and Alex convulsed again, replacing the armor with his trademark black leather jacket and raised hood.

Voren let the force wash over him, calming his mind. Then he realized just how dangerous the being standing in front of him truly was. Alex could become anyone, and learn anything in the span it takes him to blink. He also had the capacity to have a wrestling match with a Krayt dragon. He seemed to have no weaknesses. If one member of his species could do this, imagine what a few hundred could do. They could possibly be a match for the Jedi Order. Voren shuddered and swallowed hard, and he couldn't help but ask.

"How many of you are there?"

Alex shrugged. "I left my homeworld a long time ago, but to my knowledge, I'm the only one to do so."

Voren let out a breath. "And should I ever get the sudden urge to meet with your people, where would I find them?"

"Far into the Unknown Regions." Alex said flatly. "But the exact location shall remain my secret."

Voren nodded, letting the subject drop. Making sure Alex was not a threat to the team and stopping the Sith was more important at the moment than to worry about a species far removed from the galactic community. He vowed to reclaim the subject when this war was over, for now he would observe and make sure he fell in line. Should Alex become a problem afterwards, then he and the Jedi council would take care of him.

"Well," Alex began. "Am I a risk to everyone? If so we can part ways here."

"No," the Jedi answered. "That won't be necessary as long as you know that I'm in charge."

"Of course."

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Au

The team is back together, not much else to note in this chapter. Basically a bunch of conversations that I felt needed to be done. Next time we're off to the lands of hairy apes… *Clears throat* I mean, fine looking Wookies.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Alex Mercer might have looked like an average man, but Mission soon learned that he possessed recourses she could only marvel at. First, he had defeated Calo Nord in a duel. Second, he had somehow survived and won a wrestling match with a Krayt dragon. Third, he knew codes and ciphers she had no hope of slicing. For a few hours after leaving Tatooine, he had sat behind her in the jump seat, tapping madly into the keyboard and sending rapid-fire messages to unknown destinations. Once in a while she would glance back and try to read in secret. All she saw on the screen, however, was gibberish. Whatever he sent and to whom, he was keeping it very much to himself.

"Can I help?" she finally asked him.

"No." He leaned back into the seat and pushed the keyboard away. "I'm done."

"Prepare yourself." Voren said, leaning in close from the copilot's seat. "You're coming with me once we hit the surface."

"And where is that?"

"Our destination is Kashyyk."

"The Wookiee homeworld?" Alex groaned in his seat. "Do I have to?"

Voren nodded. "It'll be dangerous. The planet has many predators on the surface floor."

The shapeshifter smiled under his hood in a smug manner. "The entire galaxy is dangerous to most beings," noted Alex, before asking wearily, "I suppose our own Wookiee will be joining us?"

"Zaalbar," said Voren, emphasizing the name. "will be our guide."

Alex nodded and reclined the seat, putting his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. Voren checked the vessel's systems and told her that he was going back to his room to prepare. Now she sat with Alex beside her, wondering how she could prepare for exploring a new world.

The warped perspective of hyperspace slid rapidly by, a corridor of bluish-white flares. It might be beautiful to look at, but the environment was explicitly hostile to human life. So was life on the run. Only by being surrounded by competent and trustworthy people would allow someone to survive with this kind of life. To her great joy, she had both now. The empty days with Big Z, trying to survive the best way they can, was over. But it wasn't all without a new kind of danger.

Mission told herself not to be ungrateful. They'd all been through a lot, and it wasn't as if she had much of a choice. She had seen firsthand how Darth Malak treated enemies. Returning to her scavenging days of exploration would be meaningless as long as that planet-killing monster was still around. That experience had turned her life upside-down, taking away her sleep and filling it with terrible nightmares. Until a few days ago, the return of her brother had been like a beacon in the dark, bringing her back into the light. Griff already had a new idea involving synthesizing Tarisian ale; her brother always had some scheme in mind. She left him on Tatooine, knowing he would be alright, and she had Alex to thank for it.

He never talked about what was going on inside his head, but he always had a funny or smart comeback to just about anything. In fact, his social skills were lacking. Mainly revolving around two basic definitions, what was boring, and what was not boring. He never talked about his feelings, his past, or anything too serious. She had stopped trying to find out more about him, he had after all saved her life on Taris and reunited her with her long-lost brother. If he wanted privacy in return, she would give it to him.

She jumped when she saw Alex sitting up in his chair, staring amusingly at her. For a moment she feared that he had read her thoughts, but then realized such an action could only be performed by a Jedi.

"Why are you here?" Alex asked.

"I'm great at exploring." She began, with a nod. "I can also be really sneaky and I'm a good slicer."

"I meant in the cockpit."

"Oh…" Mission could feel the color rise in her cheeks. "Carth talked with Voren about not being betrayed again or something, and then stormed off."

"Interesting," the shapeshifter mused. "Republic usually gets his panties in a bunch when he's not flying the ship."

Mission smiled awkwardly as Voren entered with Bastila in tow. "Are we close?"

She checked the instruments. "We'll arrive any second now."

The words had barely left her tongue when the view blurred and shifted into a more familiar sight. Kashyyk, a sphere of green and blue hanged off the starboard bow. It was a beautiful world, but she knew from Big Z that it had seen some hard times. Wookiees had been enslaved due to their great physique and stamina for a long time now. Mission employed the _Aerith's_ sensors to scan the planet and several large concentrations of signals appeared. She pushed the vessel down into the atmosphere, directing it towards the capital city Rwookrrorro.

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The platform didn't look nearly large enough to handle a ship the size of the _Aerith_, but a quick glance over the city itself showed that the apparent smallness was simply a trick of the tree's scale. By the time Mission put them down on the blackened wood, it was clear that the platform could not only support the _Aerith_, but probably full-sized passenger ships as well. Alex half expected the Wookiees to send a delegation to meet them, and it turned out he was half right. But instead of being greeted by a large hairy ape, an Ithorian wearing a Czerka outfit stood waiting beside the ship as Voren lowered the entry ramp. The man took a step forward as they headed down the ramp.

"_Greetings,_ _while I am pleased to welcome you to planet G5-623, I do not see your ship on my docking schedule_."

Zaalbar growled to himself, his hate for Czerka being evident. They were just the latest party to enslave his people, and to his great sadness, probably not the last.

"_The Czerka Corporation will see to your needs, of course, but there will be a 100 credit docking fee. In advance, I fear_."

Canderous and Alex looked on with little interest as Voren engaged the Ithorian in a conversation. Alex blocked out the exchange and focused on the surrounding area. Humans wearing Czerka outfits were working at their stations, and as a bonus, not a single Wookiee in sight. Except for Zaalbar and he hoped to god other Wookiees were like him, staying in the corner and not making a sound. That's the kind of Wookiee he could tolerate.

"Tell me something interesting about Kashyyk?" Alex asked.

"Well," Canderous began. "it has big trees, in case your eyes don't work anymore."

Alex scowled. "Something else?"

"It's actually a lot like Dxun, its ecology can best be described as a layered deathtrap." Canderous traced his jaw-line. "Actually, I think I'm going to like it here."

Voren wheedled them out of paying Czerka's docking fee with a small push of the force, and sent the Ithorian on his way. His dislike for the organization first began on Tatooine, but here it grew to hate, they even openly supported and practiced slavery. Going so far as to sign an agreement with the Wookie leadership in supplying arms in exchange for a steady supply of Wookiees, Czerka makes a profit and an agreeable leader is kept in power.

"_Kashyyk… my home_." Zaalbar said in Shyriiwook. "_I should have prepared you for coming here…"_ he added._ "but I don't know if I've prepared myself_."

Voren observed the surroundings with caution. "Prepare me for what?"

"_I didn't leave Kashyyk voluntarily_." Zaalbar admitted. "_Mission must have told you how I was fleeing slavers… but there was more_."

Zaalbar lowered his gaze, a few seconds passed before he forced himself to say. "_I am an exile. The slavers on Kashyyk only took me after I was forced to leave my village home, twenty years ago_."

_An exile?_ Voren thought, wheels turning and coming up with several possible reasons. "Why were you forced to leave?"

"_My brother made deals with the slavers and allowed them to get a foothold. I found out and attacked him_." Zaalbar blew out a forceful exhale. "_The fight was stopped, but my father did not believe me when I told him about my brother's actions. I was made an exile, disowned by my home and people."_

"_I should not be here_," he noted, before adding wearily. "_They will not accept my back_."

"Why wouldn't you're father believe you?" Asked Canderous.

Zaalbar's chin dipped to his chest, shoulders hunched down, and eyes drawn to the distance. "_I was so mad… I used my claws._"

"Mad-claw." Canderous noted.

Zaalbar bowed his head in shame. "_You don't know what the means to a Wookiee. Our claws are tools, not weapons. To use them in battle is becoming an animal. It is madness without honor. In their eyes I'm a mad-claw, forever. Nothing I say is to be trusted. They were right to cast me out."_

"Time has passed." Voren mused. "Things will have changed."

"_The slavers are still here… this dock is theirs_." Crestfallen, he continued. "_I doubt anyone has risen to try and fight. Nothing has changed_._ I just hope I can prove myself to my people. It will be difficult to make them listen. I just don't know._"

"We'll deal with that if we have to." Voren said strongly, inclining his head. "Let's go."

Voren continued on the path from the landing platform, followed closely by Zaalbar which received several ugly stares by the Czerka employees.

"So what did we talk about?" Alex asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Come on!" Alex demanded. "Tell me!"

Canderous snickered. "Secrets."

"Ass." Alex exhaled forcefully. "I really need to learn Wookiee talk, don't I?" He put up a finger. "Just wait a minute."

His gaze went over the platform and stopped at a human working at a console by the _Aerith_. Strolling over he asked.

"Do you understand Wookiees?"

The man shrugged back at seeing Alex. "I uh… Yes I understand them."

"Good." Alex said sweetly, firmly planting his tendrils in the man's chest and letting his feeder tendrils draw the man in. Normally he wouldn't consume someone in public, the attention was unwanted. But here he guessed no one cared, and looking around proved him right. As his gaze passed them over, the nearby workers tried their best to look at everything but him. Satisfied, he ventured back to Canderous.

"Ready to go?" Alex asked.

"Just one thing." Canderous began. "Would that man be alive if I had just told you?"

"Most likely, yes."

Canderous grunted.

As Zaalbar guided them towards his home village, Voren couldn't help but marvel at the large platforms which upon they walked. Say what you want about Wookies, but their craftsmanship truly was admirable. This metropolitan center of the Wookiee homeworld was a kilometer-wide platform nesting high atop the huge wroshyr trees. Most of these trees reached 300-400 meters in height, some even reached several kilometers. In fact, they were so big entire communities could live within their hollowed-out trunks.

"_Come_." Zaalbar growled, gesturing toward one of the three paths ahead. "_The village is this way_."

"Alright." Voren said. "That reminds me, I was going to ask how you keep the village in place. Do you use repulsorlifts?"

"_Come_." Zaalbar said, walking over to the end of the platform and leaning over the edge. "_I will show you_."

To Voren's surprise, the village was not, in fact, held up by repulsorlifts. Nor was it held with tractor anchorlines, unipods, or any other piece of modern technology. The entire city was held up by branches, almost resembling a giant spider web. He tried to not think about the kilometers of empty space beneath them, instead calming his mind with the force and asked.

"How do you mesh them together?"

"_We did not. The trees have grown together_," he explained. "_When two wroshyr branches meet, they grow into one which in turn sprouts new branches in all directions_."

Voren nodded silently. _Is it possible all wroshyr trees in this area are a single plant? If so they have a unified root system._ He still had more questions about this marvelous city, but three Czerka employees up ahead stopped him from raising them. Now they were just a hundred meters away, and what he saw disturbed both him and Zaalbar. The three of them stood around a dead Wookiee, blood still oozing out from under its large body.

Upon entering within earshot, the captain in charge of the three said. "This isn't good. I can't afford this."

"You think I can?" The other said, gesturing angrily at the dead Wookiee. "You know what they get for a healthy one of these things?"

"We'll work it out later." The captain said, noticing the approaching group. "We've got company."

The captain observed them and turned to Voren.

"What do you want, spacer?" he greeted him. "I'm Patrol Captain Dehno and you're interrupting Czerka Corporation business."

"I'm Voren. What happened here?"

"This Wookiee slave got a little rebellious." Dehno explained, eyes shifting all over the place. "We had to put it down."

"_You put it down? We're not animals!"_ Zaalbar roared.

"Careful now," the one on the right said. "That growl sounded pretty threatening. Keep your slave on a leash or we'll have another accident."

Voren's eyes narrowed, muscles quivering as he tried to contain the building rage. They not only willingly worked for a corporation supporting slavery; they were even content with performing outright murder without even the slightest of regret. His pulse sped up to deafening levels, blocking out any other sound as he stared at the body of the dead Wookiee.

"No." He said firmly. "You won't hurt anyone ever again."

The hum of his lightsaber echoed throughout the platform, casting a blue hue over the brown wood. He was over them in an instant; the first didn't even raise his blaster as Voren cut him down. The shock of seeing their companion being killed spurred them into action, showering Voren in a rain of blaster bolts. Voren charged, intercepting several bolts as he closed in. With a quick series of sequences, he ended their lives. The exhilarating rush died down and he took a deep, pained breath and closed his eyes. Voren pawed a hand through his hair, fear rising in his chest at what the others would think. Turning around, he saw a view he never could have anticipated.

Zaalbar stood amazed, glad that someone had stood up for his people. Canderous gave a small nod in acceptance, seeking conflict and attaining glory was the Mandalorian way. Voren had done just that, what little glory could be achieved by defeating these low-lives, anyway.

"I'm impressed!" Alex said, sprouting a massive grin. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"Well," Voren began, shoulders hunched. "They were slavers. They deserved it."

"Yes," Alex agreed. "slavery is wrong."

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Au

So, Zaalbar got some screen-time and Voren tasted the Dark side of the force. And isn't Alex a sneaky little schemer? Saying what others want to hear.

On another note, I'll be working part-time and studying from now on. This means my updates will be more sporadic. Don't worry too much; I will finish this story. I do have plans for a sequel after all, and hopefully I have the time and motivation to write it.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

It was a while since I updated. To make it up to you I made a long chapter, at around 5500 words.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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Jon Fevrau squinted his eyes as he stepped off the freighter, coping against the bright star surrounded by an ocean of blue. The heat was common here on Zygerria, this jungle world rarely had strong winds or heavy rain. Only in the Highlands would one find cooler climates, sparse with plant life and filled with natural pillar formations. He took in the city, and it clearly held up to its reputation of being a tropical paradise, at least for those without collars. The Zygerrians dealt primarily with the acquiring and training of slaves, a trade which had made them powerful enough to create an empire. With that in mind, it was no surprise that he saw more beings with collars than without. He had heard of them, of course. But he had not seen them in use, something he hoped to rectify today.

"Mr Fevrau," a figure called out over the landing pad, walking up to greet him. "I am Torm, the Prime Ministers advisor. Welcome to Zygerria."

"Thank you," Jon said, quickly scanning the surrounding area. "I had thought your Prime Minister would have come himself."

Jon observed the man's right ear quivered for a second, reacting to a nearby sound, giving him a small opportunity to really scan the man. Torms had the typical feline appearance as all Zygerrians do, his entire face and ears covered with purple fur. His gaze was direct and cold. A second later however it was gone, replaced by a gentle smile of politeness.

"The Prime Minister apologizes for not coming to greet you personally," Torm finally said as the commotion in the distant disappeared, "if you follow me I'll take you to him immediately."

A short distance from the spaceport was a small landing pad. A stream of hovercabs was landing and taking off, the preferred way for the lowest members of society to traverse the city. A thick crowd surrounded the base of the landing pad, with several more joining the queues for a driver. A few Zygerrians in the crowd cast sharp glances at Torm as he forced a path through, Jon briefly wondered if their anger was directed at Torm for his privileges or if they had some deeper meaning.

He removed the thought from his mind as they climbed into the waiting speeder, Torm at the controls. Jon settled into the luxurious seat, pleased to note that the vehicle did have a roof. The engines engaged, and they rose a few meters before accelerating away. They rode in silence, drawing closer to the heart of the city, the Royal Palace at the center. Close enough now, that he could see its lavish design and numerous guards. But Jon knew this was not their destination. The Prime Minister had arranged for a meeting inside his own abode which he maintained in the outskirts of the city. Nothing strange about it, Jon fully expected the Prime Minister to only see him, a new client, in the safety of his own stronghold, surrounded by his most trusted staff.

It was not an act of cowardice, for he knew no Zygerrian noble would ever feel such a thing, it was simply a matter of practicality. One does not rise to the rank of Prime Minister without creating a few enemies. They passed by the Royal Palace and made their way to the eastern side of the city. Several more minutes passed by before Jon felt the speeder begin to slow as Torm brought it in for landing.

"We've arrived," Torm said as the vehicle touched down.

They were in a large open courtyard. High stone walls stood to the north and south. The east end was open to the street; the west was bordered by what Jon assumed to be the Prime Minister's stronghold. Jon couldn't help but see a resemblance to the Royal Palace, only in a smaller scale. The courtyard itself was populated by half a dozen large statues, each several meters wide at the base and easily twice as tall as Jon. The two largest were of Zygerrians in royal robes, with several slaves in the process of cleaning them. Jon did not know much about Zygerria, but he knew none of them were of the current King.

Torm exited the vehicle first and walked around to the front. Jon stepped out of the vehicle and into the sunlight, which didn't bother him as much anymore.

"This way, Mr Fevrau." Torm said, heading down the path.

Jon followed him in silence, noticing the almost perfect posture Torms held. With his shoulders back and his neck exposed, a fitting posture for someone of his stature. His gut feeling told him something was off about Torm, but the meeting with the Prime Minister occupied his mind. This meeting was of outmost importance for his Master's plans, and for his own.

As Torm led the way through the halls of the stronghold, Jon did his best to not look too impressed with the interior architecture. A series of long, wide corridors with thick stone walls, vaulted ceilings, and countless imposing steel doors, all closed to hide the rooms behind. The halls were lavishly decorated in a variety of purple colors. Expensive woven rugs covered the floors, and the walls were lined with a collection of sculptures and holoprojectors.

Torm set a quick pace, giving Jon little time to study the works. However, the man did offer a walking commentary of the significant pieces as the marched.

"This holoprojection was a gift from the King as a token of appreciation for the Prime Minister's long service to the crown."

"This portrait commemorates the battle of…"

Jon tuned it out, realizing he wouldn't get any useful information from the man's descriptions. Still, he appreciated the display of art. An interest he had not indulged in since his service to Zeus. Numerous sentries stood guard throughout the halls. The nodded in acknowledgement as Torm passed them. He rounded another corner and the hall came to a dead end against another steel door, this one with two guards.

Torm stepped forward and whispered something to the guards before gently rapping his knuckles on the door. The door opened to reveal a young Twi'lek. She was clad in a revealing brown outfit and had a shock collar fastened securely around her neck. She bowed and moved out of their way as they moved over the threshold. The room, well-lit by sunlight from the many windows, appeared to be an office. The walls bare, with light-brown stone. In the center of the room were a table surrounded by plushy furniture. Beyond was the man he came to see, sitting behind a desk writing on a piece of durasheet.

"My Lord," Torm began. "May I introduce Jon Fevrau."

The man looked up, pushed himself away from the desk, rose from his chair, and walked over to them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He gave Torm an annoyed look. "That will be all, Torm."

"As you wish." Torm bowed slightly to both of them and disappeared through the massive steel doors.

As the doors closed he continued. "I hope Torm haven't told you anything bad about me."

"He has done nothing of the sort."

The man snorted. "That's a first, he never miss an opportunity to talk behind my back."

"I was of the impression he's you're advisor?" Jon asked, "Don't you trust him?"

"Of course not." The man stated, voice full of contempt. "The only reason he's my advisor is so I can keep my eye on him."

"But where are my manners," he continued, extending a hand. "Edor Magre."

Jon met him and shook firmly. "You already know my name."

"Indeed," Edor mused, waving towards the middle area. "Please, take a seat."

Jon took a seat to the right, with Edor on the opposite side. Edor held a close resemblance to Torm, Jon noticed, only time had taken its toll. Them being relatives had not been a too farfetched idea, the facial likeness was clear.

"Let's get to business, shall we?" Edor leaned back into his seat, making himself comfortable. "You weren't very forthcoming when you contacted us."

"It's not a matter one wants to speak about on a holotransmission," Jon stated calmly. "even with the best of decryption."

Edor chuckled. "True, but you do want slaves?"

"Yes, only I have some inquiries first." Jon paused, diverting his gaze to the Twi'lek by the door. "Your collars. How do they work?"

"It's quite simple really." Turning his attention to his wrist console, Edor pressed a button and the Twi'lek began to spasm. "Should one of them get out of place, I simply push a button and the collar sends a high-powered shock through their bodies."

The girl fell to her knees, breathing heavily and keeping her gaze looked onto the ground. She remained in that position until she was ordered to get refreshments, the girl never raised her gaze as she exited the room. Jon felt intrigued by the technology, but to almost shock someone to death simply to make a demonstration just showed what kind of people he was dealing with. It was no wonder Zeus sent him here, they were so alike, him and the Zygerrians. Despite his dislike of it all, what Zeus wants Zeus gets.

"It seems you've trained them well." Jon finally said, "She didn't even scream."

"All merchandise passes through our processing facility," Edor revealed, smiling. "They either learn, or die."

Jon nodded, lips pursing to prevent him from speaking his mind. Instead, he decided to get on with the negotiation.

"I take it you have other merchandise than Twi'leks?"

"We do," Edor began. "Perhaps if you tell me your reason for purchasing, I might be able to accommodate you better."

Jon adopted a more professional posture. "Manual labor. In other words, I have no interest in Twi'leks."

"Then what you need is Quarrens, Chromans or Mustafarians." Said Edor, as a matter of fact. "We happen to have the latter."

"I'll also need someone to… motivate them."

"Gamorreans are good for keeping them in check." Edor traced his jaw-line. "Not too bright though."

"Let's talk numbers," said Jon, tone neutral. "We can start with, say… 3000."

Edor practically jumped out of his seat, "Out of the question, we can't sell that many."

"You must have at least triple that." Jon noted.

"Yes, but we need them." He paused for a few seconds. "The best I can do is a 1000."

Jon leaned forward. "If you can't provide what I need, then perhaps your competitors _will_."

Edor flinched; he would not willingly let his rivals grow stronger. "Fine! 2000 and no more."

"Acceptable." Concluding the deal with a handshake, Jon let himself relax into his seat. He had done what he set out to do; now the process of transporting his new property could begin. First, however, he would need to buy new vessels. ProtoCorp have several available, but the chance of someone finding out their gone was too great. Jon let a smile form, despite this minor inconvenience, things were finally looking up.

"Let's celebrate with a drink." Edor tapped gently on his wrist-console and a minute later the same Twi'lek as before entered the room carrying a plate. The girl walked over and put it down on the table, pouring two glasses before leaving the room once more. Edor took the glass to his lips, tasting the exquisite wine carefully before swallowing.

Jon took his time, twirling the glass and taking in the smell. The color had a brown tint to its red base; he couldn't wait to taste it. But he never did, something was wrong. On the opposite side of the table, Edor lied in his seat clutching his throat. Jon threw the glass away, the conclusion was clear. Someone tried to poison them. He jumped out of his seat and vaulted to the other side, turning over the table as a result.

"No no no you can't die now." He muttered.

He might despise slavery, and had the circumstances been different, he would probably let the man die.

Now, however, he needed this man to live.

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Voren stared at the ground before him as he followed Zaalbar towards the village. He considered himself a man of honor even before becoming a Jedi, a man of righteousness who stood out from the rest. But there was no honor in butchering people, and now Voren knew there was darkness in him that would consume him should he let it. Getting swept up in the moment had felt so good, giving him focus and strength he didn't knew existed. As it happened, everything felt natural. His enemies lied before him; he had shown them the error of their slavering ways. The galaxy was at his fingertips and no one could stand against him. When the high died down, however, there was nothing left to move him forward. He felt hollow, like an engine running on too little gas. His center, a core of light, was now forever stained.

"Don't feel too bad about what you did," Alex said, giving him a reassuring look. "It had to be done."

Voren shook his head. "I'm a Jedi. I'm better than that."

"Apparently not," Alex stated as a matter of fact. "If you had, they would now be alive and free to continue with their abuse of slaves."

"It's not the Jedi way."

His reaction was one Alex had anticipated, and with the outmost sincerity he said. "Then perhaps the Jedi are wrong."

Voren knew he should retort and explain how the Jedi have protected the Republic for thousands of years, and that peace exists because of them. But now that he thought about it, did peace really exist? The Empire was still there, slavery was still allowed and there was always a war going on somewhere in the galaxy. Although considering that, the Jedi were a symbol of good. But perhaps there was some merit to Alex's words; still, he'd never admit that to his face.

The only one he could talk to about this was Bastila, she could relate to the danger and effects of the dark side, if he didn't have to sit through a lot of nagging he might have sought out her counsel when they returned to the ship. No, this was something he had to sort through himself. Bastila was a good Jedi, just not a good teacher.

Their march continued in silence from there on, within ten minutes they arrived at a giant wicker gate. Four Wookiee guards were posted outside the gate, readying their weapons as the group neared.

"_Rwookrrorro_," Zaalbar informed quietly, voice filled with dread. "_My home_."

Two guards moved towards them, halting their movements with a wave of their massive paws.

"_Stop where you are outsider_," One of them growled. "_You enter the domain of Chuundar, chieftain and leader_!"

Mustering his courage, Zaalbar answered. "_Stand aside! This human is with me and I want access to the home of my people!"_

"_You have no rights here, mad-claw!_" the guard snarled. "_This human should not have brought this taint upon our land! You must answer to Chuundar!"_

"Let's tone down the insults, shall we?" Voren suggested, trying to calm the situation. "We seek an audience with your leader."

Ignoring his words, the guard continued to address Zaalbar. "_You are nameless with dishonor, mad-claw. Yours is a foulness that disgusts me!"_

"But..."

"_Enough talk!"_ the guard ordered. "_You and the outcast mad-claw will be taken to Chuundar now!_"

Seeing no other option than a full-out assault, Voren ordered the group to comply. The giant wicker gate opened slowly, revealing the city before them. Primitive-looking huts lined the edges of Rwookrrorro's streets. They stepped through the gate, but they now numbered three. Two guards stood firmly in front of Alex, refusing to let him in.

"What's the meaning of this?" Voren asked.

"_He smells wrong_." The guard growled, wrinkling his sensitive nose. "_As walking dead. He will not be allowed to see the mighty Chuundar_."

"It's fine." Alex assured, addressing the group. "I'll wait for you outside."

Voren managed a quick nod before Alex disappeared behind the closing gate. This was one situation he actually wanted him to be present if their meeting with Chuundar turned sideways, at the same time he trusted that Zaalbar and Canderous would be enough.

"Does he smell like death?" He asked Zaalbar as they were led further in.

"_Yes_."

"Why haven't you said anything?"

"Y_ou never asked_." He growled.

The guard led them along a twisting path to a large cottage at the top of the city. Its architecture was surprisingly fine compared to the rest and it being placed above all the others spoke of its importance and status. The guards kept them under close watch, but refrained from taking their weapons. Perhaps they thought there was no reason too, if so, Voren would make sure to take advantage of it when the time was right. The room was well-lit and many trophies hung on the expensively paneled walls, no doubt a place fit for a Chieftain.

Human Czerka employees were stationed around the room along with Wookiee guards, in the middle stood the man himself. Chuundar, unlike the other Wookiees present, had dark-grey fur instead of the typical brown. His yellow eyes narrowed as the group entered, but he remained silent. Zaalbar was pushed forward and placed in the corner beside the chieftain, who didn't even acknowledge him.

"_Step forward and address mighty and wise Chuundar, outsider_." He finally growled. "_I don't often allow visitors of your kind_."

_Great, he talks in third-person_. Voren thought.

"_You are flanked by Czerka slavers!_" Zaalbar growled, gesturing around the room. "_Are they not outsiders? Or have you sold all of Kashyyyk to them!_"

"_Ah, brother Zaalbar_." Chuundar began, condescendingly. "_You've been exiled a long time. You shouldn't speak in that tone. Things are different now_. _You are mad-claw without honor. You have no voice among your own people._" He flashed a grin. "_I, on the other hand, am Chieftain_."

Voren shook his head. "There's no honor in slavery, and if your people knew what you're really doing, they would turn on you."

"_You may talk_," he suggested, "_but no one will believe you. I've had a long time to guide what my people think_. _They trust me, the mighty Chuundar_." Swinging his arms determinedly, he continued. "_Even with my brother insane and my father enslaved, _I_ rose to protect me people despite it all_."

Voren felt it, rising from deep within, the same sensation as when he killed those slavers not one hour ago. It would be so easy to let it lose and turn it towards his enemies, but now was not the time. He forced it down, just bubbling under the surface, until he found someone who could challenge Chuundar for the title of Chieftain.

"_Father was enslaved?_" Zaalbar asked, brows drawing together. "_'Mighty Chuundar'? What are you talking about? You were the runt!_"

"_I am no runt!_" Chuundar growled, gritting his teeth. "_Like I said, Zaalbar, a lot has changed in your years away. We will discuss this soon enough_."

Canderous cleared his throat, preparing to let his presence be known. "Stop dilly dallying and get to the point."

Chuundar growled in annoyance, having to deal with one outsider was enough. "_I haven't killed Zaalbar because he is my brother, and I hoped he and I could come to an agreement. You on the other hand, are irrelevant. However, I might be able to put you to use on a menial task. Zaalbar will stay here, of course._"

_So that's his game_, Voren thought. _To use Zaalbar as leverage, to make me comply in whatever twisted task he has_.

"Fine then, tell me."

"_A simple task_," Chuundar noted, tone indifferent. "_Another Wookiee has suffered the same fate as Zaalbar, gone mad and been exiled. He now lurks the Shadowlands. More importantly, he's pestering my Czerka allies during their Shadowland expeditions. It is not good for business_."

_He's standing against you. The first of many, perhaps? _An interesting turn of events, this mad-claw in the Shadowlands might be what he needs to influence the people to fight back. Voren scanned the room, noting the amount of guards and filing it away for later. He'd make sure to be here and take on Chuundar himself when the time was right.

"You want me to take care of him? Fine, I'll do it."

"_Of course you will_," Chuundar stated smugly. "_You will track and kill this insane Wookiee, and maybe then you will earn my favor. Zaalbar stays here to ensure your loyalty. Czerka would never let me hold you, but they don't care what I do with a fellow Wookiee_."

Voren had to think back on every Jedi calming technique he knew to stop him from gutting Chuundar then and there with his lightsaber. He truly was one of the most vile beings he'd ever encountered.

"_The guards will let you pass now_," Chuundar continued, "_Leave the village through the northwest and follow the platform south. You'll eventually see where Gorwooken waits you. He'll lower you to the forest floor_."

Voren turned to his Wookiee friend. "Don't worry Zaalbar. We'll be back soon."

With those last words, they were escorted back to the main gate.

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Being denied access to the Wookiee village actually worked in his favor, that way he didn't have to stand in the back listening to a conversation without interest. Although, standing alone against the railing enveloping the platform, watching the seemingly endless drop to the forest floor, was not that interesting either. The news that Wookiees could discern a smell from him that he could not was new; they all seemed like large buffoons with no characteristic to his liking. Now, however, he felt the urge to taste that ability for himself. The only thing standing in his way, was finding a suitable victim. Anyone would do really, as long as they were alone.

"_Alex Mercer, I presume?_"

The voice originated from his right, spoken in a language he recognized as Rodese. As such, it was not a surprise that the voice belonged to a Rodian. Like all Rodians, he was quite short and possessed deep black eyes. The man's light-green reptilian skin created a good camouflage against the nearby vegetation, his tapir-like snout twitched slightly when not receiving an answer immediately.

"Strange to see a Rodian out here," Alex mused, turning fully to face the Rodian. "Although your species _is_ obsessed with violence and death, Kashyyyk would be a fitting place for your kind."

"_These are strange times_." The Rodian said flatly. "_The Sith and the Republic battle to control the galaxy, but their war destroys what they both seek to possess. The war sows fear and confusion, people are lost. They want guidance, direction. They have questions, and they want answers_." He paused, observing the surroundings. "_That is why I am here… I too seek answers_."

"An answer requires a question first. Here's one, who are you?"

"_A name? There is power in names, yet in the end a name alone means less than nothing. I am Hulas, a traveler from the world of Duro. And you are Alex Mercer_." Once more he paused and glanced back and forth. "_I waited until you were alone, for when you were with others I would not have spoken to you of these things_."

Alex nodded in understanding; he understood the need for caution and secrecy better than most.

"_I am Hulas of the Genoharadan… a secret society of bounty hunters. For a thousand generations we have existed, but always hidden beneath an impenetrable veil_."

"Genoharadan," Alex tasted the word on his tongue, "Never heard of it."

"_Few ever have_." Hulas said, waving his hand in dismissal. "_We are shadow, darkness and night. We are less than a whisper or a thought. We have managed to keep our existence a secret far longer than most could ever imagine. If you are ever foolish enough to tell anyone about this meeting or the Genoharadan's existence, they would not believe you. They would probably think you were paranoid, or mentally unstable._"

"_Not even those closest to you can know we have approached you_," Warned Hulas, his tone sincere. "_I will not discuss the Genoharadan with anyone but you. Do you understand?_"

"I understand." Alex wasn't a fool, the less the others knew about his dealings the better.

"_Just remember this: if you ever betray us, this opportunity will be lost forever. Few among the galaxy have ever heard of the Genoharadan. They never see us, never know we are there. They do not even know we exist. If you do now follow our rules, we will vanish and you will be like all the others. You will never see us again. We will be nothing but a figment of your imagination. But if you swear to keep the secrets of our order, you will learn of a forbidden society known only to a handful throughout the galaxy._"

Alex held in a snort, the Rodian would like him to see the Genoharadan as some powerful mysterious force controlling events in the shadows. But all he had seen so far was pretty words for a common assassin's organization. Still, even if they were common assassins, he could have use of them.

"I'll keep your secret."

"_Excellent!_" Hulas burst out, causing his saucer-shaped antennae to vibrate. "_We have high hopes for you within the guild… if you prove yourself worthy_." Leaning closer, he continued. "_Listen closely and I will give you a first glimpse into our secret world_. _We are an ancient guild of elite bounty hunters. For thousands of years we have been at work throughout the galaxy, eliminating our targets in near total secrecy._"

"If you're so obscured, how do you get clients?" Alex asked.

Hulas took a deep breath. "_In the highest corridors of power a handful of people know we exist, and how to contact us. Of course, these people are smart enough to keep this knowledge a carefully guarded secret. On rare occasions, when we are seeking new clients, one of our guild-masters will approach a powerful political figure and offer our services when the time is ripe._"

"In other words," Alex began, "you make political assassinations look like accidents. And you want me to kill for you."

"_By killing Calo Nord, you have shown you have great potential. The Genoharadan could use someone like you, if you are willing_."

Alex raised a brow. If they knew he killed Calo then they might actually be genuine, not many people know that. This piece of information caused his interest to rise greatly; Hulas could be a fine addition to his plans. He decided then and there to see where this road leads.

"I accept your invitation."

"_As you can imagine_," Hulas half-whispered. "_joining the Genoharadan is not a simple process. To begin, we will need proof of your loyalty and your competence_."

"Get on with it then," Alex said, with a sharpened tone.

"_Let's begin. You first mission is to eliminate a man named Rulan_." Hulas informed, eyes darting left and right. "_We don't know much about him, except that he's some kind of shapeshifter. We don't know if it's a natural ability, or the result of some kind of advanced technology._"

_Another shapeshifter?_ Alex thought, _this could be an interesting hunt_.

"_We suspect he might decide to move his operations into the galactic core. With his ability to assume virtually any identity, he could wreak havoc on the Galactic Senate. We aren't about to let that happen_."

"It won't be an easy task finding him," Alex noted.

"_No, it won't_." Hulas agreed. "_but we know he is here on Kashyyyk, more specifically, in the Shadowlands. He is probably honing his skills against the wildlife. Once he's eliminated, meet me at Atho City on Manaan._"

With those words the Rodian turned and headed towards the spaceport, Alex paid him no head, instead formulating his new course of action. Excitement ran through him, this was a hunt he knew he'd enjoy. Canderous told him that the Shadowland was a dangerous place, an area filled with various deadly predators lurking behind every bush. In other words, he would fit right in. Convincing Voren to go down there shouldn't be too hard. At a worst case scenario, he'd simply ditch them and go down himself. Speaking of the devil, he could see the Jedi and Canderous in the distance. Noting they were missing a companion.

"I take it things didn't go as planned?" Alex asked then they were close enough.

"Not exactly," Voren said, lifting his shoulders. "They've taken Zaalbar hostage until I kill someone for their Chieftain."

"And where is this someone?"

"The Shadowland."

"How unfortunate." Alex stated. "But for Zaalbar's sake, we better comply."

"Yes, for now."

Voren took the lead, following the directions he received from Chuundar and surely enough, they soon afterwards arrived at a primitive looking elevator. One lone Wookiee with nearly black fur guarded the device. He looked at the elevator with skepticism, could that thing really be safe to ride. The Wookiee guard didn't say anything, but he did open the gates. Showing that he clearly didn't want to speak or acknowledge them anymore than he had to.

Alex stepped forth first, causing the elevator to squeak and creak. He took a step back, before entering again. The elevator screamed even more at the pressure, Alex sighed as he stepped off a second time. He looked at the others with an annoyed gaze.

"I'm not riding that with you." Canderous stated flatly.

"Me neither." Voren agreed.

Alex snarled. "Fine, I don't have the patience for it anyway."

Charging forward, Alex jumped over the edge and disappeared from view.

"Oh my god, Alex!" Voren yelled as he rushed to the railing. What he should have seen was Alex descending quickly towards his death, for surely even he couldn't survive an impact from this height. But what he saw would be forever edged inside his mind. Alex was in the distance, arms shaped as an arrow, dodging trees left and right. It was one of the most incredible and disturbing things he'd ever seen.

"Is…is he flying?"

"I uh.." Canderous said, having a loss of words. "I think he's flying."

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Au

In the Genoharadan quest, there's a man called Rulan Prolik who can shapeshift much like Alex. The difference is that he can change his mass to a larger degree; while Alex can too, he has less control. Alex lowers his mass when gliding, for instance. In this quest, Rulan can change his mass from anything as small as a bird, to as large as a Terentatek. While transforming, he takes on the characteristics of that animal as well, like poisoned claws etc. The only limitation is that he can't imitate force ability. So my question is this.

Would you like to see Alex with that ability? Essentially it would allow him to transform into any animal within those ranges after consuming a specimen.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

I would like to thank my reviewers, those who added my story to their alerts and favorites, and to all anonymous readers.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Prototype.

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The smooth surface of the railing rested heavily against his open palm, the auburn floor more durable than he had expected. When Alex stepped onto the elevator he'd thought it would fall apart by the smallest touch, Voren thanked the force that didn't happen as they descended down into the darkness. The musty breeze at the top had now disappeared, replaced with a dank and moldy smell that made him convulse slightly as it entered through his nostrils.

On the other side stood Canderous, grinning as he leaned over the edge and watched as the ground came closer by each second. Thinking back, it must have been almost ten years since he last went on a good hunt, three years before the start of the Mandalorian Wars. Hunting down people who owed Davik money on Taris didn't count in his book, finally, he could get neck-deep into the danger this forest offered. It's said the Shadowlands was as dangerous as Dxun's jungle; he would put it to the test. He could see the ground in the distance, causing him to abandon his position and focus on his equipment. Only a fool would venture into a forest as dangerous as the Shadowlands with faulty equipment, finding no problems, he stood in the center waiting eagerly.

The elevator gave off a thud as it touched the ground, sending small vibrations through the wood. Canderous was first to touch the crumbly wet ground underfoot, the tall trees blocked out the light from above. Only the smallest slivers of light made it down to the ground, casting a sullen sort of light on the area. The path ahead was filled with large vines sticking out and entering the ground, and the sound of animal cries entered his auditory senses. To the side of the elevator, a campfire burned brightly. The Wookiee sitting close by merely nodded in their direction before going back to staring into the fire.

Voren now stood beside his Mandalorian friend, sending out small ripples through the force. To his great dismay, he couldn't sense any other Wookiee in the vicinity. If he had to constantly focus on sensing this other 'Mad-claw', then their journey would take much longer, and he didn't want to spent a minute more than he absolutely had too down here.

"We better set out," Voren said, resting his palm against his lightsaber. "We also need to find the Star Map."

"You're positive it's down here?"

Voren nodded. "In my vision I saw a forest surrounding the map."

"Any idea where?" Canderous asked, "This is a big place."

"Sadly no, and searching the entire forest with the force would take weeks."

"Our best bet is to ask someone," Canderous noted, pointing at the path ahead. "Chuundar mention Czerka expeditions right? The path has been traversed recently by a group of people, we should follow it."

With those words they began to march through the forest, both prepared to react to any sudden movements. Many people have disappeared down here, most disappearing's could be blamed on the Terentateks, an extremely dangerous animal with the terrifying ability to negate the force. It was this ability that had accurately named them 'Jedi killers', it was also the reason why the Jedi had almost hunted them to extinction. They didn't get long, however, before stopping at a small clearing. Voren approached the area first, seeing a large hole in the ground with cracks in the form of a spider web. He'd hate to think about what animal did this. Then it hit him.

"You don't think Alex did this?"

"Well," Canderous began, traced his jaw-line. "he is a fat bastard."

Scanning the area ahead, he continued. "It seems a set of footprints originating from the crater and joined the group we're following."

The duo continued in the direction of the expedition, only stopping once to deal with a vicious pack of Katarn. Unlike the Katarn, which possessed slender bodies with rodent-like tails and the capacity to climb, this pack had large trunk-like legs and only two small manipulator arms dangling in front. This sub-species also possessed two large tusks and had more rounded out edges than the main Katarn species. The pack had charged at them probably thinking they'd get an easy meal. The beasts were superior in terms of strength and ferocity, but they stood little chance against superior technology. Canderous' repeater dropped two of the beasts before they were even close, and Voren dealt with the last three with a quick series of sequences.

Voren didn't know if the display had any merit, but they didn't encounter any more Katarn as they continued. He couldn't see mare than a few meters ahead through the thick vegetation, but he knew they were closing in on their target. A good thing too because dusk were setting in, casting the foliage with more shadows and murk. As nightfall descended, the sounds of the forest began to ebb. Soon new sounds emerged, the rumbling growls of predators walking their territory and a gently hum. A hum that felt very familiar, the realization hit him as they neared. It was the sound of a lightsaber.

In a small clearing, a dark-skinned human male fought gracefully against four surrounding Katarn. The lightsaber flew through the air, creating a laser show of black and green. Voren could see the man tiring and prepared to join the fray, he wouldn't let another Jedi die if he could help it. With a tremendous burst of speed, the man defeated his enemies before help could arrive. The illuminating light from the blade allowed Voren to see the man's face; he was bald with a graying black beard, his dark-colored eyes spun to attention, narrowing as the duo approached.

"Ah, the damnable racket of battle! Watch yourself," He warned, gesturing towards the dead Katarn. "even more of these crawling beasts are hiding in the underbrush."

"I didn't know there was another Jedi here on Kashyyyk." Voren noted. "Who are you?"

The man reattached his lightsaber to his belt. "And the Jedi Council informs you of everything?" He said, tone sarcastic. "As for who I am, I'm Jolee Bindo. Follow me to my camp and we can talk for a bit."

Voren nodded, this Jolee fellow did seem friendly enough. Besides, they needed to camp for the night anyway.

"Alright, lead the way."

Jolee guided them through the vegetation and about one kilometer ahead, ventured off the traversed path and into a small clearing. This 'camp' was actually a small, handmade hovel located under a toppled woshyr tree. The cut-out windows were protected only by small stripes of bark, with light shining through from a fire inside. The interior was as one might expect a one-roomed cabin. At the far end, a handcrafted fireplace with a metal pot resting above and beside it a sink. An intricate series of ducts connected with the sink and through the tree, providing the sink with sluice water. On closer inspection, it seemed to be crafted from leftover scrap metal. The little furniture adorning the cabin was carved out from the tree itself.

"Well, welcome to my home, such as it is. Take one of the stumps and be comfortable." Jolee suggested, planting his feet next to the fireplace. "We should discuss a few things."

"Yes, I feel there's a lot you could tell me."

"Don't coddle me, child." Jolee berated. "I'm neither a Jedi nor your master. I'm just an old man that's been lost in the woods for far too long. My days of glory are behind me, but perhaps there is something I can help you with."

"If it's not too much to ask, you could let us stay the night and answer a few questions."

"I suppose I could." Jolee began. "No one should be out in the Shadowlands at night, not even a Jedi."

"You'd take in strangers?" Canderous asked skeptically.

"And why shouldn't I?" Jolee asked, squinting and giving a hard smile. "Are you planning on killing an old man in his sleep? Didn't think so, now what's your names?"

"I'm Voren," he jerked a thumb to his side. "The Mandalorian is Canderous Ordo. Now who are you really?"

Jolee hummed as he tasted the soup. "Haven't you heard? Jolee Bindo is the crazy old man in the dangerous woods. I'm content with the impression I give."

"I sense the force in you, strongly." Voren noted. "And you use a lightsaber. You are a Jedi."

"I follow the Jedi Way and I command the Force, yes, and I suppose that makes me a Jedi as much as anyone." Jolee mused, twirling his lighsaber hilt in his hand. "But I see more grey than light and dark. Frankly, both extremes annoy me. Of course… I have felt the rumblings of change…"

"I sense you are a servant of the light, whether you will admit it or not." Voren countered. "I do not feel the taint of the dark side within you."

"What he said," Canderous nodded in Voren's direction. "You're either a failed padawan or a deserting knight."

Jolee's eyes darkened for a second. "Let's just say that I was a strapping young lad with a head full of hair, and Coruscant was a small town with a well, heh heh."

"Ok, let's leave it at that." Voren said. "Have you seen anyone strange recently?"

"I see all sorts of strange things," The old man smiled. "Mushrooms can do that to you. If you're referring to a person, perhaps, if you describe him."

"He would be wearing a leather jacket with a hood."

"Can't say that I have."

"Then what about a crazed Wookiee?" Canderous asked.

Jolee nodded. "Maddened with grief, yes, but not crazed. I helped him pass to the lower forests where only a Wookiee could follow. Some other matters will determine if you can follow." He said, mysteriously. "There is a barrier that… well, we'll talk more of _that_ in a moment."

He wanted help with something, Voren realized, everyone wants something. But the way Jolee said it was strange, as if he was referring to something else. Then it hit him.

"You know about the Star Map," he stated.

"Now why would you be asking about that, hmm?" Jolee asked, not bothering to wait for an answer. "I knew that had to be why you were here. The problems of a few Wookiees don't amount to anything before the concerns of the Jedi. No, you are here for the map."

So the old man did know things, even if he spoke in half-truths. This actually created an opportunity he wouldn't let pass by.

"I admit," Voren conceded. "the Star Map is our primary concern. But I'm not blind to the Wookiees suffering; and Chuundar is keeping one of my friends hostage until I find this crazed Wookiee. If this Wookiee could be convinced to stand up against Chuundar, then both of our problems would be solved. If you know something, please tell me."

Jolee leaned back against the wall. "Kashyyyk is an interesting place, more so than anyone suspects. If Czerka knew, heh, the planet would be a strip mine. The Wookiees have their legends that they were not always here, but it is more than that. The trees themselves are strangers."

"I suppose there's a point in their somewhere?"

Jolee made a face. "What I'm saying is that there are literally walls in your way, and you won't find what you need without my help. And my help has a price. You must do a task for me, and then allow me to join with you. I will then remove certain barriers in your path."

So he not only wanted help, he also wanted transportation. Voren scratched his beard, Jolee did mention fighting the Sith. That experience would be useful in the days to come, and apparently without him their mission here on Kashyyyk would end in failure.

"Seems I don't have much of a choice."

"Good," Jolee leaned closer. "Now listen carefully. Since they began expanding in the Shadowlands, the Czerka have left me alone for the most part. Until recently, anyway. A group of them set up camp not far from here. Poachers is all they are. Id' like them removed from this place."

Removing a few Czerka scum seemed easy enough, Voren thought, he might even enjoy the ordeal. And by the looks of Canderous' grin, he would too. But there was still one problem he didn't understand.

"I have no problem with removing Czerka from this place," Voren announced. "But why do you want to join us?"

"You presumably have a ship," Jolee said, while shrugging. "I've seen all I wish to here. Isn't that enough? I mean, I'm really sick of the trees."

Voren stared at him in silence. It was bogus, and Jolee knew he knew it.

"And perhaps your destiny might show me something new." Jolee added warily, showing that he wouldn't elaborate more on the matter.

Voren sighed. "Where are they and how many?"

"They are not that far northeast of here. There are usually five in the area, as far as I can see. The Captain of the lot is the one that earned my ire." Jolee narrowed his eyes." Mishandle my garden, will he? Hmph!"

"You might as well make yourself comfortable," Jolee continued. "First thing in the morning I want them gone."

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With one precise stab of his blade, Alex killed the last of the giant spiders that had ambushed him in the forest's lower levels. Ugly creatures with fat, red-pigmented bodies and tenacity beyond all reason, they had tracked him for over a kilometer before finally springing their trap. He had barely begun to wonder about Kashyyyk's dangerous undergrowth dwellers before five of the giant spiders suddenly converged on him at once, trying to immobilize him with thick strands of web and poison. Despite having the advantage of surprise, it had been a miscalculation in attacking the forest's newest predator.

Not having to patience for another attack, Alex abandoned the undergrowth for the upper levels of the forest. He'd been following a group of Czerka before realizing they neither knew nor had any interest in his target, but they did lead him deep into the forest where a glowing wall halted his progress. It was a peculiar sight, a force field of red energy. The obstacle had an obvious flaw, its height. One that Alex took advantage of with a simple wall-run against one of the nearby trees, briefly wondering who put it there as he descended towards the ground on the opposite side. A mystery to be solved another time, now; he had some hunting to do.

Leaping from branch to branch, he ascended a hundred meters before continuing in a steady pace. At this distance, he could remain undetected from any creatures on the forest floor and at the same time offered him a greater field of vision. Once he reached a good distance from the wall, he took a more level heading, albeit one slightly downwards. The forest canopy stretched at least another two kilometers above him, consisting of the branches of mighty trees overlapping one another for support and carrying many thousands of species on their broad terraces. Insects crawled and swarmed in the bark, birds flew in flocks around nesting grounds. The air was full of animal sounds and the rustling of leaves, but for each step carrying him deeper into the forest, the sounds dissipated.

He saw glimpses of the great predators in the area through his thermal vision, stalking and accessing their prey. He paid them no head as he continued leaping, if they attacked he would deal with them as he did the spiders. Four times did he descend to the ground, as he came across bodies belonging to humans and Wookiees. All four of them had suffered from animal attacks; the latest body was even torn to bits. The different pieces had once belonged to a Wookiee, but what could his attention was a grey object. A datapad that had survived the attack. Alex scanned the information it contain, a list of four members of the hunting party. He'd found four bodies, however, he couldn't be certain they were the same. Being a shapeshifter, it was logical that Rulan would take one of their shapes.

His search continued for almost throughout the night without progress, if there had been traces of the hunting party, they were now gone. Alex imagined them suffering a violent end brought on by the various beasts lurking in the shadows. It was then he heard it, off in the distance, a voice talking. Being careful not making any unnecessary sounds, he snuck closer and hid in the underbrush. The voice belonged to a Wookiee, who appeared to be walking in circles, talking to himself. Alex observed quietly for a while before letting his presence be known. The Wookiee seemed like every other Wookiee he'd come across, big, furry and annoying. His target was a shapeshifter, leaving him with little choice in the matter. Besides, he'd just spent the entire night in the forest, alone. He could use someone to talk to for a bit.

The Wookiee became startled as he exited the underbrush, taking a defensive stance.

"_Why do you disturb me, human?_" the Wookiee growled. "_Grarwwaar comes to the Shadowlands to get away from your kind_."

_Grarwwaar_, Alex thought, _was on the list_.

"At last!" Alex said, "I've found you."

Grarwwaar smiled, showing his large pointy teeth. "_So you have uncovered my little secret. No matter, this body has grown tiresome to me. Maybe I can find one more to your liking, human_."

Grarwwaars body convulsed, not unlike how his own body convulses when changing shape, Alex noted. In front of him stood a dark-skinned human male, wearing brown Jedi robes. Rulan swung his vibrosword in a menacing manner, and entered his preferred stance. Alex was impressed, Rulan's transformation was as quick as his own, but he seemed to have the same limitations as well. Rulan didn't seem to be able to change material things, his weapon remained the same.

"I'm relieved," Alex began. "That you can't transform technology, because that would have made you a serious threat."

Rulan took the insult to heart and charged forward, firmly planting the blade deep into Alex's skull before he could react. Satisfied he didn't have to go through a prolonged fight; Rulan took a few steps back and waited for the inevitable collapse of his opponent. Only, it never came. What he saw made him truly fearful, a thing that shouldn't be possible. The hooded man's skull was split open, but he still stood there, unmoving. His face was pulling itself together by hundreds of small tendrils, and within a few seconds, was back to normal.

"It seems you only have the strength of a human," Alex noted condescendingly, giving off a challenging look that radiated superiority. "I suppose I could still have some small use of you."

"How are you alive?" Rulan asked, taking a step back. "You should be dead."

"Oh, it will take more than that to kill me."

As the shock dissipated, Rulan relaxed his posture and pulled his hand against the tip of the blade. Grinning smugly as he rubbed his fingers together.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked.

"You'll see."

Rulan's body convulse once more, ending up in a familiar form. It should be, because Alex was staring at a perfect replica of himself.

Alex's grin disappeared, _this could be troublesome_. "Copying me, that's not cool."

Rulan shifted his position and his feet crossed, left in front of right. He spun on his left foot, the right coming up and out, catching Alex squarely in the jaw. The force caused his body to fly backwards, finally resting against a woshyr tree. Alex threw off a log trapping him against the tree and stood up, wrinkled his nose as he inhaled the dust cloud.

_He has my strength,_ Alex thought, still reeling from the shock.

Alex ran forward, jumping over a rock as he raced towards his enemy. His right arm rose as he neared his replica. He swung his arm against Rulan's jaw, positive it would connect. This time too he was caught by surprise as his fist hit air, receiving an upper-cut instead. Alex sneered; his opponent not only had his strength, but his speed as well. Rulan followed up his initial attack by spinning around, using the momentum of his swing, and delivered a crushing blow against Alex's midsection.

He recovered quickly and engaged Rulan in an exchange of punches, neither willing to let up. Gaining the upper hand, Alex delivered a decisive blow, creating some distance between them and giving him some time to observe his enemy. His strength and speed were equal, but his stamina wasn't quite the same, evident from Rulan's inability to keep up over an extended period of time.

Alex engaged again with a palm against Rulan's throat. A gurgle escaped the man's mouth when his windpipe was cut off unexpectedly. Keeping his hand in place, Alex lifted Rulan's body off the ground with a running push. Rulan struggled for balance midair, unable to find it before his body was slammed into the tree behind. The force of the impact sent vibrations over the area.

Alex let go of Rulan and grabbed the falling man by the hair. As Rulan touched down, Alex pulled his head back, and slammed it against the tree mercilessly. Further expanding the cracked crater in the wood.

A groan escaped Rulan's lips as he began to understand that he couldn't win this fight. Not a second later, a brutal punch from Alex blindsided Rulan in the side of his head. The crater in the wood crunched even farther in and a crack extended nearly one-and-a-half meters. With a shattering bang, the tree collapsed inwards, sending splinters in all directions.

As the dust settled, Alex stepped back and watched his handiwork. Rulan's body slumped against the ground, breathing erratically and observing Alex with fear filled eyes.

Alex tilted his chin to the side and frowned, he'd expected more from a fellow shapeshifter. His opponent might have been able to copy his basic characteristics, but unable to replicate his more advanced functions. His momentary lapse of focus gave Rulan a chance to escape, a chance he took. His body convulsed, and a small primate rushed through the underbrush. Alex raced quickly behind, and entered a small clearing filled with lookalike creatures.

Tach, small simian creatures, was everywhere. Some playing, others sleeping.

_Smart_, Alex thought, _hiding in a Tach nest_.

Alex stalked the area, observing for any sign of Rulan. He raced forward, grabbing one of the Tach and slammed it against the ground. The other Tach rushed from the area at the unexpected attack. Leaving Alex alone with a single Tach, unable to keep its transformation, it reverted into a large deformed creature with pale skin, it had a wide mouth and a deep set of eyes.

"So this is how you really look like." Alex stated.

"How?" Rulan asked, trying to raise his body but failing. "How did you know it was me?"

"Thermal vision." Alex explained, "Unlike all the other primates here, your brain is lit up like the fourth of July."

Rulan simple rested his head against the ground, not understanding the reference.

"You might be able to change your appearance, but you can't hide that superior intellect." Alex knelt beside Rulan, "I guess compared to an ape, you're quite smart."

"Just get on with it," Rulan said, grimacing. "Or are you going to insult me to death?"

"As you wish."

Alex let his feeder tendrils crawl over Rulan's body, and with a mental command, they consumed him.


End file.
